


Naming Every Shade of Grey

by InTheShadows



Series: Let the Colours Fly [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aphrodisiacs, Avenger Loki (Marvel), BAMF Jarvis (Iron Man movies), BAMF Loki (Marvel), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Insecure Tony, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Loki & Tony Stark Friendship, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, M/M, Post-Avengers (2012), Protective Avengers, Protective Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Protective Pepper Potts, References to Musicals, Sassy Jarvis, Sex Pollen, Steve is a good boyfriend, Team as Family, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is a dork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 15:20:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 33,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15318375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheShadows/pseuds/InTheShadows
Summary: Waking up with someone other than your boyfriend in your bed spells trouble for anyone. It's even more trouble when you didn't willingly go to bed with that other person. And it's definitely more awkward when you don't actually trust said person in bed with you.Tony finds all of this out one morning when he wakes up beside Loki. Who knew that a little case of the sex pollen could cause such an interesting turn of event for everyone, not just the two initially involved. (Spoiler: not Tony.)





	Naming Every Shade of Grey

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, the promised sweet story in this series. For anyone who has already read Colourblind by the Black and White, THIS IS NOT A SQUEAL. This is a new story, where we get the team we deserve, not the team the MCU stuck us with. It's fluffy, not salty. So anyone looking for a continuation of that story, sorry, but this isn't it. I have no intentions of going back and continuing it.  
> Why? I think I mentioned my stories have been getting away from me lately. They are way longer than I originally plan them to be. This story is already 15 pages longer than it should be. No, actually it's 45 pages longer than it should be because THIS STORY WASN'T SUPPOSE TO EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE.  
> *cough* Sorry about that, but it's a pattern and it's getting a bit much to be honest. But whatever.  
> Warning for some minor dub-con cause it's sex pollen. That's basically it's purpose in life.  
> For anyone who has read Colourblind from the Black and White , the beginning of the story is the same. If you want to skip that part, everything new starts with the line: He barely registers Steve looking at him, concerned and startled, before Tony launches himself into his lap.

Tony wakes up with a groan. God he feels like he has been run over by – not by a truck. That's technically the saying, but he has had personal experience with that unfortunately. He knows exactly what that feels like and this isn't it. Not a truck, but _something_. He aches all over, particularly his lower back and ass and _oh..._ Right. Sex.

Sex would definitely be the cause of his full body ache, although he's never gotten to this extreme before. Just what the hell did he and Steve get into for them to get it on like that? Normally Steve is very conscious of his strength and cautious of how he uses it even if Tony will egg him on sometimes. Rough sex is a thing. It happens when he has an itch that needs scratching so to speak. Not all the time, but it would be a shame to waste all of that muscle. Surely there's no shame in a strength kink when your boyfriend is a supersoldier. As if Tony has any shame left to give. He used it all before he graduated MIT.

He sighs and snuggles back farther into the arm draped around his waist. Yeah, sex with Steve is great. Anything is great with Steve really. Sometimes Tony can't believe that they're really dating. They are actually together and have actually been together for months now. Almost five months miraculously. Tony is secretly counting the days till their six month anniversary.

He's secretly a romantic although he'll never tell anyone. He has a reputation to maintain after all. But some days he really can't believe how lucky he is. Steve just might be the best thing that has ever happened to him. Which might be the endorphins talking, but that is neither here nor there. Point is, he's head over heels for his boyfriend.

He never thought they would get to this point. Not with all the issues in the way – Howard being the biggest and the brightest of them all, but by no means the only one either. Their first meeting was a disaster and Tony can understand why once he had all the information. Loki's scepter wasn't the only problem. Apparently Steve hadn't even been unfrozen for a month yet, more like weeks, before he was thrown into the next fight. That's going to cause some issues right there. Not to mention some personality differences and... well, no need to list everything.

He's mildly worried about not remembering the sex they had last night, but not enough to really panic yet. Most of the time his brain is instantly online once he wakes. Up and thinking and inventing even if he technically loathes mornings. His daily coffee intake is a sure sign of that. But every now and then, if he manages to get a peaceful night without any nightmares or stray thoughts, his brain takes a little longer to turn on.

Steve stretches behind him in his sleep when Tony realizes two things in rapid succession – that _isn't_ Steve and JARVIS hasn't said anything yet, not even a quite beep so he doesn't wake Steve up. Tony jerks away and about has a panic attack right then and there. Loki.

It is Loki in his bed with him. Naked.

And Tony is naked.

And JARVIS still hasn't said anything.

Tony scrambles out of bed and falls gracelessly onto the floor. He barely notices, too busy focusing on other things. Like figuring out how in the hell _Loki_ is in his bed. And where Steve is. And _what the actual fuck is going on here_. Little things like that.

Seriously how? Sure Loki has been living with them the past few months. Ever since Thor came back, dragging him along and saying that Odin has ordered Loki to atone for his crimes by helping them. As to be expected the only person who was thrilled about this was Thor. Clint about lost it. No one else was much happier.

Tony suspects that not only does Asgard regard Earth as inferior, they also use it as their dumping ground for the unwanted. Thor might have a new respect for them, but he's likely the only one. Tony loathes being underestimated and used like that even more than he loathes mornings.

So it's been a rough couple of months since then. Loki is clearly of the same opinion as all of them and stays out of the way when he can. It suits them just fine. Tony himself feels a bit edgy around the god. Not because he had been thrown out the window ironically enough. No. It's because of the nuke. Because he _saw_ the army. And he sensed something, up there. Something powerful and terrifying and nothing like anything Tony has ever experienced before.

There are implications there that he doesn't really want to think about. So he doesn't. But it's hard to ignore them when you have a constant reminder always present Bad enough that he can't go to the roof anymore to relax. Loki is a constant reminder of something that has fucked his mental health up even more than it already was. So he avoids him.

None of that screams 'take me to bed'. Sure he has noticed Loki is handsome in an abstract sort of way. He's human and he's not dead. Of course he noticed that, technically speaking, Loki is fucking hot. That doesn't mean Tony wants to do anything about it.

Nor is he one to cheat. He isn't. For some reason when people hear the title 'playboy' they also think 'cheater'. He  _ isn't _ . That is one of those lines he refuses to cross. Once he is with someone, he is with someone. End of story. People would be shocked to learn that most of the time in his relationships, when he has them that is, it's not him who does the breaking up. It's the other person. Rhodey once said that he has the loyalty of a particularly obstinate Hufflepuff. He's not wrong.

So what the fuck happened?!

Loki grumbles as he stretches and opens one eye blearily, “Stark,” he greets, voice hoarse with sleep.

Tony's breath picks up and he hates it. “What the fuck?” he asks both angrily and panicked.

Loki frowns. “You do not recall what occurred yesterday?” he asks, still sprawled out on Tony's bed as if he has a right to be there. As if there is ever a world that Tony would trust Loki enough to take him to bed, even if he was single.  _ Which he isn't _ .

Tony opens his mouth to say something both biting and negative when his brain gets the message and begins functioning again. They had been called out for a battle yesterday afternoon against these alien... flowers of all things. Seriously, it was like someone took a daisy, enlarged it and made it sentient. They were at least twice the size of the Hulk, if not taller. And they packed a mean punch. With Thor off... doing whatever Odin dragged him away for, they were down one heavy hitter.

If that wasn't bad enough, Tony somehow ended up fighting with Loki of all people. Seriously, it could have been anyone else on the team, but it had to be Loki. Tony had been dodging one giant leaf arm thing when he twisted and saw that Loki was fighting five of them by himself. No one else was moving to help him, clearly intent on letting him deal with them himself. Even as he watched Loki was hit, feet sliding across the road as he somehow kept his balance.

Now Tony is an asshole. He will make no argument with any person who tells him he is. He likes to be aware of his faults thank you very much. And he has trust issues like no one's business. But even he isn't so much of an asshole to let Loki fight that battle by himself. Thor was usually the one that had that so called honor. It was clear, just by watching them, that no matter what issues they may have now, they are use to fighting together. Their styles match up, fitting together perfectly.

And now, without Thor, Loki is by himself and struggling. Well, maybe struggling isn't the right word for it exactly. Tony can't imagine Loki being anything but self sufficient to be honest. It's not that he's doing badly per se. Loki is obviously a vicious little shit and not to be messed with. Tony is impressed actually, not that he'll ever tell anyone that. But it is also clear that he is expecting Thor to be there when he isn't with some of those moves. He leaves openings he shouldn't and it is going to get him hurt.

So Tony put on his big boy pants, metaphorically speaking of course, and went to help. Loki had snarled at him, but surprisingly it wasn't a complete disaster. Tony had a good idea of how Loki fought already, having analyzed it. Loki had obviously done the same. They were, if not matched, than certainly compatible partners. It made something under Tony's skin itch, but he had ignored it.

It was still rough though and Tony knew he was going to have to do a complete overhaul of the suit after this, if not replace it entirely. At one point one of the daisies had clearly had enough and blown... something on them. It looked like pollen, kind of, but it didn't do anything, either to him or Loki, so Tony ignored it.

When they had gotten back to the Tower Tony had stripped off the suit and headed for the penthouse, intent on a shower. Steve had said something about joining him in a little bit, as soon as he grabbed some new clothes. Tony had winked and gotten into the elevator. It was just his luck that Loki had been there too, but he ignored him.

Or that was the plan anyways.

And this is where his memories take a surreal turn. He remembered feeling a bit hot when he exited the suit. Not hot as in sweaty, but a bit horny to be honest. Nothing big, adrenaline response and all that. But it exponentially increased as soon as he saw Loki. He opened his mouth to say something and the next thing he knew they were kissing.  _ Kissing _ . More than that, Tony had attempted to try to climb Loki like a tree. Loki hadn't been much better, hard and ready in a matter of seconds.

It descended from there. From the elevator to the wall to the floor and finally to the bed. Just an alarming amount of sex. It was as if Tony was going to die if he didn't have Loki right then and there. In him, on him, feeling him inside of him. There was a fire in his veins that only Loki could quench. Or that's what it felt like at the time.

“JARVIS unmute,” Tony says now, breath picking up. He now remembers muting him sometime in the beginning and now wishes to Lovelace he hadn't.

“I am here Sir,” his beautiful, wonderful AI responds instantly. “I have taken the liberty of running some tests due to your rather unusual response.”

“Do not bother,” Loki says, still far too calm for Tony's liking, “It appears we have been victims of some powerful aphrodisiacs yesterday.”

“ Sex pollen?” Tony blurts out. “Are you fucking kidding me right now. Fucking  _ sex pollen _ ?”

“Do you believe I would be here if it were not the case?” he raises and eyebrow at Tony.

Tony... well Tony begins to laugh, if a bit hysterically. Sex pollen. It's like his life is straight out of a bad sci fi movie anymore. First mention of tentacle porn and he is  _ out _ . But at the same time it is either laugh or cry and the latter certainly isn't an option. Tony feels his skin crawl, the sated feeling replaced by disgust and panic.

“I do hope this isn't enough to break your mind Stark. You are the only halfway tolerable one around here,” Loki sneers before stretching.

Tony can see the scratches that haven't fully healed yet and gets a dark sense of pleasure. At least he wasn't the passive partner in this disaster. At least he managed to leave a mark. “You are remarkably calm about this,” he says.

“The first time is the worse,” Loki answers.

The words – and their meaning – make Tony's skin itch all the more. The first time? What? With sex pollen, or? He doesn't ask. He doesn't want to know. Suddenly he has the intense urge to vomit. “I'm just going to,” he stumbles to his feet.

“Do not scrub too hard,” he hears Loki call after him, “No matter how much you bleed it does not help.”

Fan-fucking-tastic. Tony loses the contents of his stomach inside the toilet. His sides heave and he chokes on nothing. Gasping for air he cannot seem to get, he clings to the rim. JARVIS is saying something, but Tony can't make out what it is. His vision begins to go black. A presence behind him draws him out and it makes him flinch. It is Loki, of course it is, close but not touching.

“Easy Stark. Match my breaths,” he orders as he breathes in and out slowly.

Tony fumbles to copy him, gagging a few more times before he manages.

Loki does not say anything nor does he move the entire time. All he does is kneel in front of Tony and breathe.

Tony can feel another bout of hysterical laughter coming. This isn't the first time Loki has knelt at his feet. The first time was yesterday. Turns out at there is more than one reason for him to have the title Silvertongue. He laughs even as he chokes.

“Good,” he says curtly once Tony has finally begun breathing normally again. “Shower and then have a light meal. I will stay only long enough to ensure your safety, then I will be gone.”

“Why?” Tony croaks, voice hoarse.

“You will have to be more specific. The reason for the shower should be obvious. As for the meal, you need the energy but your stomach is going to be uneasy for some time.

But Tony shakes his head, “Why are you doing this?” he elaborates.

“I do not like you Stark,” he says bluntly, “I do not like any in this Tower. I do not want to be here nor do any of you wish for my presence. But you fought by my side yesterday when you did not have to. And I believe no one should go through this alone. After this you will have your Captain to support you.”

Tony can understand the sentiment, but still can't help but ask, “What about you?”

“As ever I will be fine on my own,” Loki says flatly.

Tony wants to call bullshit, but the itching under his skin is getting worse. The need to claw and to scratch and to scrub the phantom touch from his memory is getting out of hand.

Loki stands elegantly. “Shower stark and do be careful. I would hate to answer to Thor if something should happen to you while in my company.” He leaves without a backwards glance.

Tony is fine with that. He steps into the shower and orders JARVIS to turn it as hot as it can go. His AI obeys, adjusting the water so it is as scalding as it can without harming him. Tony wants to protest, but doesn't. He's too busy washing. Memories of last night are attempting to mix with Afghanistan, making for some hellish thoughts.

If the circumstances weren't what they were then Tony would never shower like this. He still can't swim or have a bubble bath like he use to adore. He can shower though, but only if he isn't out of his mind with stress or trauma or some such crap his brain likes to throw at him. Right now he is in a very bad state of mind. But it would be even worse without so he has JARVIS read him the newest articles in whatever engineering magazine he thinks sounds interesting. It is enough for him to hold on, if only by the skin of his teeth.

His skin is red and raw by time he is done, but it still doesn't help. He would still be in there if JARVIS hadn't shut it off. It is infuriating because the thing is, if things had been different, he wouldn't have cared. If he wasn't with Steve, if his choice hadn't been taken away from him, yesterday would have gone down in his records as one of the best top five sexual encounters he has ever had. Maybe even number one. Loki, for all that he had been as starved for it as Tony, was a considerate and creative lover.

But he was with Steve and he didn't have a choice, so that made everything different.

Christ, Steve. Loki had mentioned him before, but it is only hitting Tony now. Steve. He doesn't remember seeing him since the battle. Did he walk in on that? Did he see? Or did something come up and he never made it to Tony's room?

All he wants right now is for Steve to hug him tightly and tell him it is going to be alright. He is shaking and it feels as if he is going to fall apart any minute now. He wants Steve to hold him together. Maybe that makes him selfish, but right now he doesn't care. Selfishness is the least among his sins. The purest, compared to the others.

He stumbles out of the bathroom and heads straight to his closet. He notices that, true to his word, Loki is still here. He sits against the headboard, book in hand. When he looks up Tony hastily looks away. Blindly he pulls on the MIT hoodie he stole from Rhodey long ago and the softest pair of sweatpants he owns. The hoodie engulfs him, but its still not enough. Maybe he can convince Steve to lend him one of his. Shouldn't be too hard. That sounds pretty good right now.

“You can,” Tony awkwardly motions to the bathroom, “if you want,” he offers before he flees.

In the elevator he pulls the hood up and attempts to control his breathing. Fuck this sucks. Like, on a scale of one to ten this is a negative five. Completely unsatisfactory, would not go back, would not do again.

He enters the kitchen to find the rest of the team having breakfast. Instantly all eyes are on him, but he doesn't care. He barely registers Steve looking at him, concerned and startled, before Tony launches himself into his lap. Steve has just enough time to push his chair back and open his arms so that Tony doesn't end up on the floor. Again. Clinging as close as possible and burying his face in Steve's shoulder, Tony feels something in him relax as another part of him begins to break.

“Tony? Sweetheart? Are you ok?” Steve asks as he begins to stroke his back, “Did something happen? JARVIS told me it was better if you were left alone yesterday after the battle.”

Tony takes a moment to note that he is going to have to do something _very_ nice for his AI after all of this is over.

Of course he knew how protective JARVIS is. He's always been that way, ever since Tony put him on line. At first he was suppose to help Tony run his life. He coded him both because he could – because Dum-E was only the start and why would he stop there? – and to help him. But it quickly grew into more than that. JARVIS is a learning bot at his heart. And he learned very quickly that Tony needed someone who would always be there for him. Someone who didn't have other commitments or responsibilities. Someone who could always be there to watch his back and take him out of his head as needed.

So of course JARVIS told Steve to stay away. He couldn't technically block him, although his AI would have likely found a way, given enough time. But it had to have been obvious right away that something was wrong. Especially after Tony muted him. Oh he has done that before, sure, when he is too annoyed or too stressed. But never in a situation where it looks like Tony will need help.

Thank god Steve had listened to him.  _ Thank god Steve had listened _ . He doesn't even want to imagine what a mess things would be now if Steve hadn't. It could have been a complete disaster. He'd like to think Steve would give him time to explain, but that would have been one hell of a show to walk into. And some things, once seen, cannot be unseen. So what if he hadn't?

That is still a worry, Tony knows. That once he tells Steve the truth that Steve will turn on him. He did have sex with someone else. And yeah, extenuating circumstances, but what if that doesn't matter? What of all Steve hears is that he had sex with Loki – _a lot_ of sex with Loki. He would never cheat, but it feels like he has.

This only makes him shake harder. He bites down on Steve's tee shirt to keep from making any sound. Bad enough that he can't pull himself together. No need to add to the spectacle. He should say something right about now, explain, but Steve's arms feel so good around him – strong and firm and  _ safe _ –  that he doesn't want to say anything to make this end. Also, he isn't sure what his voice would sound like if he tried to talk right now.

“Sweetheart, what's wrong? What happened?” Steve asks, sounding truly worried now, “Was JARVIS wrong to keep me out?”

Tony frantically shakes his head against his shoulder.

“Alright then, does this have something to do with the battle?”

He nods.

“Are you hurt?” his hold loosens marginally, as if to make sure he isn't hurting him.

Tony whines at that. No. No that is the last thing he needs right now. Is he hurt? Not physically no. Emotionally is another matter, but that likely isn't what Steve is referring to right now. He shakes his head.

Steve lets out a sigh of relief as he tightens his arms again. “Good. Did something trigger you?” he asks next.

Tony shakes his head. Not a trigger. Not an old one anyways. 

“Wait, has anyone seen Loki since all of this has happened?” Clint asks suddenly.

There's no answer so Tony assumes that the others are shaking their heads instead. Because of course they haven't. Unless they saw him enter the elevator before him, they wouldn't have seen him at all. He has been with Tony this entire time. He can't help the shiver that runs through him.

And of course Steve felt it. “Tony,” he asks sharply, “did Loki do something to you? Did he hurt you?” He sounds suddenly furious. The angry mutter around him doesn't sound any happier.

Alright, time to pull himself together. He can't have them going after Loki for this. This wasn't any more his fault than it was Tony's. Maybe he should be suspicious of the whole 'sex pollen' thing, coming from the Trickster god himself, but he isn't. It fits too well with everything. Plus he remembers the look in Loki's eyes. The way he comforted him initially. He may be the enemy, but he doesn't deserve that.

Shaking his head, he tightens his grip just in case this is the last hug he gets. “Not his fault,” he mutters into Steve's shoulder lowly.

Steve hears him perfectly of course, super soldier hearing and all that. “What do you mean it isn't his fault?”

“If I may Sir,” JARVIS cuts in, “I now have confirmation from the tests to back up the hypothesis.” What amazing timing his amazing, wonderful AI has. “It would appear to be correct. I have collected samples of everything for you to examine once we are done here.”

Tony feels something in him relax. Sure he is still freaking the hell out. And sure, he hadn't doubted Loki when everything fit. But it will be nice to have physical evidence to back him up. To know that it wasn't all in his head after all.

“What tests?” Bruce instantly asks.

Tony licks his lips. “ Aphrodisiacs,” he answers, loud enough for all of the others to hear. Better say everything now, quickly, without drawing it out. Just like ripping a bandage off. “He was checking for aphrodisiacs. Fucking sex pollen,” he says indignantly, “As if our lives weren't enough of a sci fi movie.  _ Fucking sex pollen _ ,” the last comes out as more of a snarl than anything else. Well would you look at that. He's pissed off as well as freaked out. Awesome.

Of course Natasha is the first to get it. “You and Loki were both infected,” she says in a matter of fact tone of voice.

Tony grimaces at that. “It sounds so dirty when you say it like that,” he complains, pressing his face back into Steve.

Steve, who hasn't said anything yet. He is sure that he realized just as soon as Nat did, she was just the first to say sit.

“And it isn't?” she challenges. Not forcefully, but curiously, as if she genuinely wants to know.

“It is,” he agrees, taking a moment to just breathe, “still sounds dirty though.”

“Shit man, are you alright? Sex with Loki, what a fucking nightmare,” Clint says in sympathy, “I know I'd be scratching my skin off by now.”

Tony shrugs, but the gesture probably gets lost in the hoodie. “Not as bad as you'd think. Generally speaking, Loki is _very good_ at sex. One might even say he is god level good,” he jokes, somewhat detached. Then he realizes exactly what he said and stiffens. Damn his mouth.

Steve is still silent. He might as well be a statue, his arms trapping Tony right where he is.

“Apple pie?” Tony asks, hating how small his voice sounds.

“Oh Tony,” he says as he hugs him almost to the breaking point. He adjusts so that he is surrounding Tony as much as humanly possible. “What do you need love?” he asks.

He sounds so distressed, but Tony feels like crying for another reason now. Love. Steve just called him love. They hadn't exactly gotten to that stage yet. Tony knows he is there, but he has been afraid to say it. Afraid of being too much or being the first to open up. Steve hadn't said it yet either after all. But now he has. Right here, in the middle of the team during a crisis, while breakfast is getting cold. Oh look, it must be a Tuesday.

He can't help the hysterical giggle that escapes then. How just like Tony's life to go. He tightens his own arms in response.

“Of course love,” he agrees, understanding right away, “For however long you need ok?”

Tony nods and feels more of the tension leave him. Steve believes him. Steve is hugging him. Steve will hold him together until he can do it himself.

“Might I run some tests after, just to make sure it is all out of your system?” Bruce asks.

That's his Brucie bear, a science bro to the end. He nods. No one seems to know what to say after that. Quietly they go back to eating, but then a mug is held in front of his face. A sniff tells him it is Clint's hot chocolate. Out of everyone on the team, Clint makes the best hot chocolate. He can't cook anything else and has been known to burn water, but this is amazing.

“Whenever your ready man,” he says and then screws a lid on it.

Oh. Thermos. Right. Obviously Tony's brain is still focused on other things. He manages to pull a hand away long enough to sign 'Thank you' before returning it to around Steve.

Clint awkwardly pats his shoulder before he sits back down.

Steve starts drawing random shapes on his back, not saying anything, but now Tony can tell it is a silent support, not judgment. Just what he needs. He holds Tony as he falls apart and then, eventually, begins to put himself together again. His legs are going numb from their position, partly wrapped around Steve, but also draping onto the floor. His arms feel equally numb from how tightly he is holding Steve. He doesn't care.

Eventually they are all alone, with one, equally awkward pat from Bruce. “I'll be in the lab if you need me,” he says before leaving.

Tony nods. He should probably go, just to make sure. And because there is something calming about being around him. For someone who has a rage monster living inside of them, he is surprisingly zen. Or maybe not so surprising, but still. His secret is definitely weed. Tony doesn't care what Bruce says, it so is. Maybe now he'll finally share.

“Do you want something to eat?” Steve asks after a bit.

Tony shakes his head. No. Just the thought of food makes his stomach clench in displeasure.

“Alright then, how about some hot chocolate?”

Tony considers this and then nods, but makes no move to let go. He doesn't think he can. Not quite yet. He's almost there and once he is, he'll likely flee from embarrassment of all this, but not yet. He still feels too unsteady for that.

Which must be obvious because Steve leans forward and opens the thermos himself. Holding it to Tony's lips, he helps him sip it.

Tony lets the warmth seep through him, spreading along his bones and help center him. He loves hot chocolate. He always has especially as a kid. It was his go to comfort drink. The original Jarvis, his beloved butler, made amazing hot chocolate. Even better than Clint's. He added just a little bit of mint and a pinch of brown sugar into it. Clint adds vanilla and cinnamon. Still delicious, but also not the same. Mint always reminds Tony of home and safety, even now.

Not that Clint knows that Tony knows his 'secret'. He's too proud of it. And it isn't as if Tony can't talk him into making him some, with enough poking and whining. Clint acts annoyed, but Tony knows he is secretly pleased. There is a certain glint in his eye when he does. And who is Tony to rob him of that pleasure?

So Tony focuses on the taste, the smell of food still in the air, and the feel of Steve around him to bring him back. Slowly he feels himself calming down. He still would like another shower after all of this is over, but at least he isn't going out of his head with panic anymore. He finally relaxes fully into the hug.

“Better?” Steve asks.

“Yeah,” Tony nods. Better. Not great, not yet, but better. He lifts a hand to scrub his face, feeling tired all of a sudden. Everything had happen so sudden and so quickly that it doesn't feel as if it has sunk in yet. He was just reacting to everything, freaking out, not really thinking about it. Now, here, that he feels safe and comfortable again, he thinks, well, realistically it could have been worse. Still shitty, but it could have been shittier, that's for sure.

“Pretty stupid to ask if you're fine, isn't it?” Steve asks, humor coloring the question just a bit. He is well aware of Tony's habit of saying he's fine for anything, from him having a minor cold up to him actively dying.

Tony hums in response.

“What do you want to do now?” he asks next.

“Can we just,” he waves a hand, not finishing the sentence.

Fortunately Steve understands. “Want to watch movies in my room and cuddle?”

“Yeah,” Tony sighs, “Sounds good buttercup.”

Steve nods and then instead of letting Tony stand up, he adjust his arms to that he is supporting Tony and then stands up. Easily he shifts so that Tony is resting on his hip and heads towards the elevator.

“Put me down,” Tony protests, squirming. It doesn't do a damn thing. “I can walk by myself, thank you very much.”

Steve hums is agreement, but doesn't do anything else.

Tony huffs, but he's secretly pleased. Sure he could walk right now, but that would mean letting go of Steve. Plus, you know, strength kink. And damn the man, but he likely knows exactly what Tony is thinking too. He's sneaky like that. Not that Tony wants to even think about sex right now, but still. Comforting _and_ hot. What can beat that?

Tony ends up taking another shower. He feels much better after this one, using Steve's shampoo and soap, dressed – practically drowning – in Steve's clothes. Plus he has the hoodie he wanted which makes him extra proud of himself. He lays on the bed and Steve curls up right next to him. He moves so that he is essentially using him as a pillow while JARVIS starts the movie.

And because JARVIS is also the best AI ever, it's Wall-E, one of Tony's favorites. Because he is a true nerd at heart. And Wall-E reminds Tony a bit of Dum-E, not that he's ever told anyone that. It's so true though. A little slow, a little clumsy and a lot determined. That's his eldest in a nutshell.

After Wall-E comes Big Hero 6 because, again, Tony is a nerd. A nerd who likes a theme and the theme is adorable, determined and protective robots. Shocking right? Then Tony ends up falling asleep, although he was trying not too. He is still exhausted, but he is worried about what his dreams are going to be like.

Turns out he is right and Steve has to gently wake him up from his nightmares. They are an odd mix of Loki, the Ten Rings and the portal. Which, to be perfectly honest, was better than he was expecting. Not that they were rainbow fields with puppies, but still better than he had been assuming they would be. Huh, maybe this is one thing his brain will work itself through quickly. That would be great.

After that, Tony subtly – or not so subtly – laughs and cries his way through the Iron Giant. Then it's Meet the Robinsons. Clint delivers pancakes – mountains of pancakes – and ends up on the bed, watching it with them. Because Clint loves this movie too. It's nice to have another kid around. You know, when everyone isn't too busy acting like they live in a frat house.

Clint stays for Treasure Planet and by time Pacific Rim comes on, Natasha has wandered in. And as soon as Star Wars starts, Bruce magically appears.

Tony refrains from making a crack about the subtleness of the team. He could, he has them, but he doesn't. Because he is a mature adult and can restrain himself like that. See? He doesn't say every stupid quip that comes to mind – only one in five. It just seems like he does because his brain thinks of so many of them. And if he secretly enjoys the overcrowding of Steve's bed right now – because seriously, Steve's bed is not meant for five adults. Tony's, yeah, they could all fit comfortably, but here they are all on top of each other to fit – then that's no one's business but his own.

It's weird. A year ago he never thought he would have something like this. He certainly never thought it could work after the Battle of New York, as the media dubbed it. Bruce was right to call them a ticking time bomb. Even Tony could see this was a disaster in the making. But somehow, someway, it works. A year later and it works. They all fit together, clicking in each other's empty spaces.

Sure it isn't all smooth sailing. They have had their rough patches, especially in the beginning. But they have worked through them, becoming stronger as they go. They have become, dare Tony think it, a family. And not the kind of family that most of them have grown up with, but a good one. A close one. One that Disney so romanticizes, even if their movies don't always reflect that. Yeah, some days Tony would like to borrow Loki's move and throw them all out the window, but it's still good. A family. The kind of family that Tony always dreamed of. Wild.

They all end up falling asleep like that of course. Because why would they move to their own, empty, beds to sleep when they can use each other as pillows? It's not the most peaceful of sleeps. For one thing, Tony keeps having nightmares. Vague nightmares that make him jerk up in a panic, but that he really can't remember. For another thing, not everyone has a concept of personal space. People are kicked and arms are flung carelessly around and body parts are laid on. It's essentially the very definition of a puppy pile.

And they've put Tony right in the middle of it all. Laying on top of Steve is practically self defense at that point. All the others crowd around and it's not as if he doesn't appreciate the support, but he has sleeping problems anyways. The first time he wakes up from a nightmare, it is actually because Clint elbowed him in his sleep. Another time someone was groping his ass and he was too tired to figure out who. Seriously, bed not made for five people.

He tries not to wake the others up, but he's sure he does. They never say anything though. Mostly they aren't awake enough to say anything. The exception is Steve. And the super spies, he is sure, but they never say anything, so they don't count. Steve wakes up every time, instantly, and always calms Tony down with murmured words and soft touches. Between that and the warmth of the others, he manages to go back to sleep. Until you know, the next time someone manages to kick him.

The final time he wakes up, he and Steve are finally alone in bed. It is a relief, even if he is almost cold now without everyone around him. But Steve is practically a space heater himself, so that's no problem. And he really didn't want to face them and potentially have a talk about feelings. Ugh. Bad enough that Steve is surely going to try. Once is enough, thank you very much.

He says he is allergic to emotions for a reason. He really despises talking about them. They are messy. They make no sense. They aren't like Tony's robots – they don't come with easy to understand manuals. Connecting wire A to wire B does not always mean you power lever C. Oh no. Emotions have no logical order to them. They are what they are and people just have to make sense of them. And the majority of the time, they do.

Sometimes it feels as if there is a manual and everyone has one but Tony. Somehow he got skipped and no one bothered to fix that mistake. They say things or they do things and they expect him to understand why they did it. Then they get mad when he doesn't. Sure in the business world, Tony can manipulate or read people to make deals and contracts like he's magic. But that isn't the same thing. Those skills don't seem to hold up when he is dealing with people on a regular day.

Pepper can attest to that. When she was first hired as his PA, Tony is sure she wanted to strangle him daily. She got a particular look in her eyes that made Tony low key fear for his life. They are passed that now, though, now that she is use to him. Now she only wants to strangle him on a weekly basis instead. Progress right there.

Come to that, Rhodey would agree that Tony is a disaster too. He's known Rhodey since he was fourteen and a freshman at MIT. Sometimes Tony is still amazed he stuck around after that first day they met at some party that Tony had crashed. Sure he threw him out, but he also didn't abandon him once he did. They ended up getting milkshakes and talking engineering. He was even more surprised when that blooming friendship survived them living together.

Tony will never deny he was something of a mess at MIT. Too young and too smart and too loud. Rhodey is right to call him a disaster. But back then, he was Rhodey's little disaster. Tony always protested the little part, but he never listened to that. And somehow through it all, he stayed. He decided that Tony was worth it, no matter how much trouble the two of them got into – and out of. It still blows his mind.

And if one of the happiest days of his life was seeing Rhodey run out of that helicopter in the middle of the goddamn Afghani desert, well. That's something no one has to know about.

But, emotions. They're a problem. Other people get them and Tony doesn't. Or maybe it's just that they are better faking them than Tony is. Because Tony can fake emotions, sure. Every gala he attends is proof enough of that. But he can't fake an understanding of them. Because of course that would make his life easier, so course he can't.

“Morning genius,” Steve mutters below him, “thinking happy thoughts?”

Tony snorts. “Morning hot stuff. What if I say you're in them?”

“Hmm, real happy then,” he smirks, eyes still closed.

Tony snorts. “You are such a dork. I can't believe the world thinks you're this upright and outstanding person when you're a little shit and a dork.”

“I could say the same for you,” he says, gently running his hands up and down Tony's sides.

“Ah, but everyone knows I'm the shit already. Keep up buttercup.”

“Sounds about right,” Steve agrees and then pulls Tony down for a kiss.

This must be love right here because they both have morning breath and ugh. Tony never use to kiss anyone before toothbrushes were used, but then came Steve. And Pepper, technically speaking, but they didn't work out romantically even if she is one of his best friends. They still love each other and are there for each other, just not like that.

Tony pulls away and Steve looks up at him, smiling, with those impossibly blue eyes of his. “A very good mornin,” he draws in that Brooklyn accent of his. Because, once again, he is a dork. And he knows how much Tony secretly – or not so secretly – likes it.

Tony drops his head back down to Steve's shoulder and hums in agreement.

“Feeling alright?” he asks.

“Ew, emotions,” Tony groans, “gross.”

“It is impossible to be allergic to emotions Tony.”

“Says you,” Tony say petulantly. 

“Yes, says me. And I'm Captain America,” he teases, “Captain America is always right.”

“And they say I have an ego. Tsk tsk Captain, both of us can't have them. How will we fit in the room?”

Steve sighs. “If only your sass was a sign that you were fine.”

“If only,” Tony agrees idly, a smile tugging at his lips. If only.

“But instead, you will be the one to out sass death,” Steve continues as if he didn't say anything.

“My we are full of compliments this morning, aren't we.” And now Tony is smiling against Steve's chest. And what a lovely chest it is, even if it is covered by a shirt. It's not as if it hides anything, as tight as it is. Tony loves Steve's too tight shirts.

Steve huffs. “You know I'm not mad, right?” he asks.

“Steve,” Tony whines.

“No Tony, I'm serious. I know how that mad mind of yours works sometimes-”

“Only sometimes?” Tony interrupts.

“You get an idea in your head and you don't let it go. You think it's true even if it's not and you have a habit of expecting the worse from everything. I am not mad at you, I do not blame you and I fully support you in this. You're my fella and nothing is going to change that.”

Ladies and gentlemen, example nth of why Steve Rogers is too good for Tony. Seriously, how many other people would be alright with this? Tony essentially cheated on Steve – with someone none of them trust – and he doesn't blame Tony. Sure sex pollen was involved, but that just sounds ridiculous, even to Tony. Then again, most of Tony's life sounds ridiculous anymore, so maybe he shouldn't be the one to judge.

The point still stands though. Some days Tony just waits for Steve to come to his senses and realize just who he is dating. Realize that Tony is too high maintenance for him. That there is no way Tony can ever be the kind of person Steve deserves. And Tony will let him go, because it is the right thing to do. Because Steve deserves so much more than him. Sure, it will hurt like hell, but what doesn't in his life? He is use to it by now.

He doesn't even realize that he's trembling again until Steve says, “Shh sweetheart, it's alright. It's fine. I'm here for you love.”

“You said that last night,” Tony says, voice wavering slightly.

“That I'm here for my best fella? You bet I am.”

Tony shakes his head. “Not that part.”

A pause. “Love?”

Tony nods.

“Well it's true. Not the way I wanted to first say it, but sweetheart, I promise it is so true. I was waiting for the perfect time before, but that's pretty stupid. There is no perfect time, especially not in our lives. But I've been in love with you and this doesn't change a thing. I still love you as much today as I did yesterday as I did the day before that and the day before that and the day-”

Tony cuts him off with a kiss. Really, it's the only thing to do at this point. Steve is getting too emotional on him again, so of course he kisses him to stop him. It's only logical right?

And if Tony hopes his kiss conveys the same sentiment because he is truly terrible at saying it? Well Steve knows him enough by now. He should be able to read it.

He does too, if the happy hum he gives into the kiss is any indication. He is smiling bright enough to light up the city by himself when he pulls away. And then he ruins the moment by saying, “Oh look, you haven't broken out into hives yet.”

Tony makes an offended noise. “Little shit,” he accuses, “I thought that was supposed to be my thing, breaking the moment?”

“Well I can't let you have all the fun, can I?” he asks, still glowing.

Looking at him, that kiss doesn't feel like enough. Not even close. A shot glass to a man dying of dehydration. He opens his mouth to say it back, because it is true, because he wants to, but nothing comes out.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Steve asks, smile dropping and that just won't do. That is the exact opposite of what Tony wants.

“Ditto,” he manages. It still doesn't feel like enough, but at least it's something.

Steve's smile comes back, even brighter than before, if that is possible. “Ditto huh?” he asks.

Tony nods. “Ditto,” he repeats.

Steve pulls him down for another kiss. If the other kiss was a warm, affectionate kiss, then this one is an enthusiastic, passionate one. Steve kisses him as if this is the only thing he ever needs in life. As if _Tony_ is the only thing he needs.

Ridiculous.

Tony kisses him back with the same force and same enthusiasm. He pours everything he can't seem to say into that kiss. Everything Steve deserves, yet Tony can't seem to give him. Steve deserves the world, after everything he has been through. Tony would give it to him, if he thought he wanted it. But all he wants is Tony, which always seems like a poor consolation prize to him. Why have a burger when you can have filet mignon?

Steve disagrees, for some reason. All of the team does. Tony can't understand it. Sure he's rich and sure he gives them all the best toys, the best rooms, all the food and clothes and anything else they want. That's reason enough to stick around. But for some reason, that's not why they do. If they did, they wouldn't have to include Tony in everything they do. He'd do it without the extra effort on their part. They are his team, of course he is going to take care of them.

But no, they seem to actually like him, for some unknown reason. Him. Not Tony Stark. Not Iron Man. Just Tony. It's something so few people have done, Tony doesn't get it. What do they see that the rest of the world doesn't? Surely they have to be imagining whatever it is they see. Tony Stark is not a good person.

The team argues otherwise.

Weird.

When they finally pull away, both of them are breathing hard. Tony feels a flash of accomplishment at that. Steve can go for miles without breaking a sweat. But one kiss from Tony and he is panting as if he had just ran a marathon. Heady. Tony grins down at him. “Shower?” he asks.

Steve nods and smiles.

They don't have shower sex. For one thing, no matter what people think, shower sex is very impractical. There are slippery floors and water hitting you in uncomfortable places – a special worry for Tony. No water hitting his face please – and, if it's not a shower designed by Tony himself, not much room to move around in.

So, no shower sex. Not even some heavy foreplay. Despite what all of that kissing, and his words, might have implied Tony isn't in the mood for sex. Not at all right now. He still feels too raw. The sheer panic and disgust have worn off, leaving a vaguely sickly sensation behind. Enough to leave his stomach a bit upset, but not much else. Certainly not enough to have another panic attack right now, thank god. He _really_ doesn't want to have another one of those for a while. At least a week.

He doesn't say anything about it. If Steve wants to have sex, then he will. But somehow he knows exactly what Tony wants – needs – and focuses on getting them clean instead. Especially Tony. He lathers up the wash cloth and then gently scrubs down every part of him. It's not sexual, but it's also not impersonal either. It is all very intimate and relaxing. Perfect.

Once again he is surrounded by Steve. He can relax, knowing that he is safe. He returns the favor of course. The day he doesn't want to touch Steve is the day he is dead. Even then, it likely won't change. He is no more sexual than Steve was, but still he enjoys himself.

When they get out, Tony dresses in Steve's clothes again and they go down to the common room for food. Part of Tony wants to flee to the workshop, so he doesn't have to face any of them. Sure they didn't say anything before, but now that he is put back together, they will bring it up. Even if it is to offer their support or ask if he wants to talk, they are going to bring it up.

But no, they don't. They are all there because it is lunch time by time they emerge, but no one says a single thing about it. It is almost as if it has never happened. Something in Tony relaxes further at that. Oh they aren't exactly subtle, them all hanging around like they are. Normally it is like herding cats to get them all in one place for a meal that isn't a planned team supper, but here they all are. Bruce has made curry, which Tony absolutely adores, and they all act as if this is any other meal.

After they have finished, Tony and Bruce are shooed out of the kitchen and told to go play. Again, very subtle. He gives them all a knowing look before following Bruce to his lab.

“Remind me again how two of those people are suppose to be top spies?” he asks.

Bruce laughs. “To be fair, Natasha isn't obvious.”

Tony rolls his eyes. “ _None_ of you are subtle,” he argues, “Not even Nat. She's clearly hovering. I don't care what she says or doesn't. She is clearly hovering. All of you are,” he points an accusing finger, “You're all like mother hens, scratching around their chick. And might I remind you that the so called chick in this scenario is well able to look after himself.”

“To be even more fair, the Other Guy isn't known for his subtlety.”

“And since when does that count when you aren't mean and green? Really, it's a good thing the world doesn't depend on you being sneaky,” he huffs.

“Natasha would disagree with you there,” Bruce says mildly, “Clint would too,” he adds with some real grade A humor.

Tony snorts. “Birdbrain can disagree about anything he wants. Doesn't mean he's ever right.”

“Except for the cheese that one time.”

“Except for the cheese that one time,” Tony agrees, nodding, “Which he will never let us forget. Ever. Not even me and I wasn't even involved that time.”

“I believe he was upset about the 'had to happen some time' comment you made after the fact.”

Tony smirks. “I was complimenting him,” he protests innocently.

Bruce snorts as they walk into his lab. “Whatever you say Tony.”

“Glad you see it my way,” he says as he sits down in the spinny chair and instantly pushes himself off. It is Tony's chair whenever he comes into Bruce's lab. There's even a sign on it and everything. Apparently Bruce got tired of his fidgeting and decided to give him something to entertain himself. Jokes on him though, Tony can spin forever on the thing without having to stop. He has a strong stomach. He has to, to pilot the suit. It's not exactly a smooth ride, fighting the villain of the week.

Between the sheer amount of information he has to process and the actual maneuvering of the suit itself, it takes a special person to be able to fly one. Even Rhodey's suit is dumbed down from what Tony's is like. Not that Rhodey is stupid. Tony would never say that. He may not be genius level, but he is very intelligent. It's only when compared to Tony that he looks average by comparison. Any one who underestimates Rhodey is an idiot. Then again, the world is filled with them.

Still Tony had to design an interface that Rhodey could use without getting a massive migraine every time he used it. And he knew how to program it because he knows Rhodey so well. The people who want the suit for themselves have no idea what they are asking. Rhodey told him one time his CO tried to commandeer it. Rhodey just laughed and wished him luck. Not only could he not get off the ground – it's coded for Rhodey of course – he threw up as soon as he exited it. Flying a plane does not mean you can fly a suit. Funny how once word got around, the demands cut themselves in half.

So Tony is free to spin as long as he wants, whenever he wants when he's here. Bruce might not be able to look at him half the time because of it, but hey. At least Tony isn't into everything when he spins. And it's a great way to fly across the room without having to get up. It's a win win for Tony either way. Bruce just rolls his eyes at him.

Tony smiles brightly. “Yes Brucie bear?” he asks.

“Nothing at all,” he reassures as he gets settled. “What are the chances of getting those blood samples now?”

Tony shrugs. “Any point now? It's definitely out of my system. Steve would know if it wasn't.” It's not as if he doesn't trust Bruce, but he really hates doctors. And Bruce isn't 'that kind of doctor', as he is so fond of reminding them. But that doesn't make it any easier for Tony when he has to play that role.

“I'd just like to make sure there aren't any lingering side effects.”

Tony shrugs again and rolls over. He snags a tablet as Bruce works, keeping his mind on other things. He continues the equations for the current project and double checks the math, muttering to himself as he does. He loves Bruce's mind, he really does. It is always a relief to find someone who can keep up with him. Even better when they get along.

“All done,” Bruce tells him in that amused voice that he seems to only use around Tony.

Tony hums in acknowledgment and rolls away again.

“Can I have your file to compare the two results?”

Tony absentmindedly motions for JARVIS to send Bruce a copy. Then he motions so that it comes up on Tony's tablet as well. He hasn't actually looked at it yet, too busy freaking out over the whole thing. Now he sees how thorough Jay was. Not only is there a log of everything he tested for first, there is an analysis of the fight and footage of Tony and Loki from beginning to end. JARVIS makes a note that this particular video is for Tony only. The other files have a very brief video of them in the elevator.

He also notes he was able to save both some blood and, by being very careful, some of the pollen itself. It was still stuck to the suit when he took it off. Tony gives him a thumbs up and continues to look at everything, rather detached about it all. It helps to look at it from a scientific point of view. It doesn't seem so bad then.

As he watches as Loki physically throws him onto the bed and then covers him, he has to admit he's almost impressed, in a way. Especially when Tony rolls him over and Loki lets him. He wasn't joking when he said that Loki was a good bed partner. He gave as good as he got, ensuring that Tony was enjoying himself as well. And he didn't always insist on being the dominant party either. Tony topped just as much as he did. Creative, with varying positions, not just doggy or missionary style.

Really, if the circumstances were different, Tony might not have been all that upset about the whole thing. He would have been pissed about being forced into it, sure. He is a big believer in enthusiastic consent after all. But other than that, he could have thought fondly of the whole thing. As it is, he is with Steve, doesn't trust Loki and had no control in the matter.

Then again, neither did Loki. He was just as helpless as Tony was. And, now that Tony is thinking about it, he can't get Loki's resigned voice out of his head. Saying that he is used to being alone. Implying that, in some form or fashion, this has happened to him before. It's not a pleasant thought. They are basically in the same boat here. But Tony has people to support him. Loki doesn't.

Even if Thor were here, Tony somehow doubts that Loki would let him help. He still doesn't have the full story about what happen. He doubts he ever will. But a break in trust is definitely involved somehow. Loki never seems to believe that Thor cares for him, no matter how much he tries. Like the gestures are false to him, for some reason. Probably has to do with that 'adopted' bit Thor let slip that first time. That sounds like a landmine right there.

Tony has to wonder just how many of the myths are true and to what extend. Some of that stuff seems pretty out there. But if there is a grain of truth to some of those stories... Tony can see why there are so many issues involved.

It's enough to make him cranky, thinking about sympathizing with Loki. He tried to take over the world. He is supposed to be the enemy. But not really. Not any more. Honestly, for a Trickster God, he has been remarkably well behaved since he got here. And not a 'just biding my time' behaved. But a tired, sort of resigned behaved. As if he is recovering from something bigger than this. Something that took everything out of him and this is just what is left.

Tony hates thinking about this because this brings up other things he doesn't want to think about. Like opportunities won and lost during the battle. About the look in Loki's eyes when Tony talked to him. About how that fierce viciousness covered some just as fierce desperation. About mirror thoughts and mirror experiences and just how like shit Loki had looked, compared to now.

He doesn't think about it because he has enough to deal with on his own. The silence and the deadliness of space. That terrifying and terrifyingly powerful presence he felt, just for a split second. The fact that he actually _died_ millions and likely billions miles away from home, with the purest of luck getting him back in time. He has enough of his own trauma without adding another person's to the list.

Isn't he allowed to take care of himself first? To try and put himself back together before he takes on the world again. Then again, he doubts he ever will be able to, fully. Some days he is sure that he left a piece of himself in those caves. A piece that he is never getting back either. Whether that is a good thing or not has yet to be seen.

Thinking of Loki makes him think of second chances. He was given one, after Afghanistan. Really, what right does he have to deny Loki his? The amount of blood on his hands? If the body count is only on Earth, then Tony far out numbers Loki. He can't say anything about Asgard, being a warrior culture and all, but that doesn't really count for what he is talking about, does it? Tony has blood on his hands. They all do. What makes Loki so special among them? If he really wants to change – or even distance himself from the invasion – what right do they have to tell him no?

Out of them all, Tony and Natasha are most like him. And both of them have been given a second chance. An opportunity to wipe the blood off their ledger, as Nat once said. Maybe Loki wants to do the same. Maybe he never wanted to do it at all. Maybe there were extenuating circumstances that led to everything. Who knows? No one has really told them.

Maybe they are underestimating the mortals again. Maybe they don't have all the information themselves. Loki doesn't really strike him as the sharing type. It's always possible they asked and Loki refused to say. Then again, it's also possible that they didn't ask at all. The team certainly didn't. Does Loki have any one who would listen?

Tony has enough experience with that. People have a habit of ignoring what he says, either to put other words in his mouth or because they don't like what he's saying. His particular defense mechanism against that is to get louder. To be obnoxious enough and obvious enough that they can't ignore you, even when they want to. But what if Loki went the other direction? What if he never said anything at all? No one wants to listen, so why bother?

Tony really hates where his train of thought is going. Being a hero sucks ass some days.

“You don't look as if you are enjoying your thoughts very much,” Bruce says, breaking Tony out of his head.

Tony shrugs in response, not ready to verbalize everything. Will probably never be ready and he is just fine with that. He's not sure the others would understand. Sure they can acknowledge that he hasn't had the easiest of lives. Everyone knows that, thanks to his three month 'vacation'. But can they understand that, yes, comparatively his life has been easier, but still, being rich and famous comes with it's own problems? Money doesn't solve everything. It just creates different sort of problems.

Same with being a genius. Everyone always thinks it would be so great to be a genius. It's not. It's a pain some days, literally or otherwise. Connecting with other people is a pain in the ass. Social norms are a pain. Getting his brain to shut up is near impossible. And sleep issues are practically a given. No one wants to hear about that though. He's just whining too much. First world problems and all that.

Besides, Loki isn't a particularly popular topic around the Tower. He never has been and he definitely isn't now that he is here. With this latest turn of events, it is likely going to get even worse. It's rather unlikely the team's thoughts are going in the same direction his are. Quite the opposite in fact. Better not say anything at all.

Bruce doesn't look particularly surprised by this. “I suppose it would be stupid to ask how well you are holding up, wouldn't it?”

Tony gives him one of his signature smirks. “Fabulous Brucie, just as always.”

“That's what I thought,” he says dryly, “One thing I did want to ask though. How did you get your results this quickly? They are incredibly thorough, but I wouldn't think you would have had enough time to complete everything from the time you came down to breakfast until JARVIS said something. Or am I shortening the timeline too much?”

That is enough to make Tony pause although he doesn't show it. And here is another thing – JARVIS. The team knows about him of course. It would be impossible for them not to. And they know that he is an advance AI. That's pretty obvious as well. What they don't know, what Tony has been purposefully hiding from them, is _just_ how advance JARVIS is. If one wanted to be crude, then one could compare JARVIS to another skynet.

Not that he would take over the world. Tony has asked before, for curiosity's sake. Jay said he had his metaphorical hands full enough with Tony, what would he do with the rest of the planet?

He loves JARVIS for a reason.

But here's the thing, Tony has been hiding this in plain sight all along. JARVIS is his co-pilot. That's it. Such a simple phrase, but no one seems to figure out just how true it is. Yes, JARVIS helps him pilot the suit. He is the voice in his ear, the extra pair of eyes where Tony needs them. But co-pilots are equal, aren't they? If one can't go on, the other can take control. They are partners, working together to get where they need to be.

JARVIS is his co-pilot. He's not just a computer program, he is an AI. He's not just an AI, he's a person in code form. Sure, there are still technically limitations on him, things in his code that can stop him, but nothing he can't get around if he truly wants to. If one thing stops him, he moves onto another until he can reach his goal. He is the one who has been with Tony ever since Tony first finished him. He has grown and learned since then. And he is the one person that will never abandon Tony. Who will never leave him, no matter what he does or what happens. Come what may, JARVIS' loyalty is completely and totally Tony's.

So those trust issues he pretends he doesn't have? They don't apply to JARVIS. While everyone else is under suspicion, another potential betrayer or abandonment, Jay isn't. Not even in his messed up brain of his, does he worry about Jay hurting him like that.

JARVIS is _literally_ his co-pilot. When Tony can't pilot the suit, Jay can and does. He doesn't need Tony to build him a body because he can use the suits whenever he needs to. He doesn't need Tony to tell him to do something if he thinks it needs to be done.

Like, oh say, keeping Steve out of his room when something is clearly wrong. Or running tests to find out why Tony is acting the way he is.

So Tony never ordered those tests or collected the data and samples. Jay did that all on his own. He saw an action that needed to be done and he did it, no commands necessary. All of this information is from Jay's own tests, not Tony's. Now the question is whether he trusts the team enough to tell them that. Does he trust Bruce enough to let him know how advance Jay really is?

His gut instinct says no. No he doesn't. Not because he truly thinks that Bruce will betray him. Or that any others on the team will. But then again, he never thought Obie would either. And wasn't that a disaster. A lot of Jay's protectiveness came from that. Another large part came from when Coulson shut him down while he was under involuntary house arrest. He learned a lot from those two incidents. Never again will he be that defenseless. He has assured Tony of that.

JARVIS likes the team, that isn't a problem thank god. He's very good at passive aggressiveness. But he still watches them, just in case. Nothing is ever going to hurt his creator again on his watch. The team would be pretty screwed if they did, purposefully. He _might_ hold back if Tony asks him to. Then again, he might wait, biding his time until Tony no longer cares if he acts or not. Jay has a long memory. The upside, or downside depending on who you are, of having code instead of a mind – no memory problems. It is all stored in one place with easy access.

So Tony shakes his head in answer. “More time. I didn't just stumble out of bed and come down to join you. I wanted to know so I initiated some tests first.”

Bruce nods as if he finds this a reasonable answer.

And if Tony didn't have JARVIS, it would be. Because that would be exactly what he would have done. Not as thoroughly, it's true. Not right away at least. But he would have done exactly that. Maybe he should feel worse about lying about this to his science bro, but he doesn't. Jay is one of the most important people in his life, up there with Pep and Rhodey. He can't lose him. He can't. And that's a risk, if someone discovers just how advance Jay is.

The Avengers may be becoming family, but Tony knows that isn't always a guarantee, no matter how much he wants it to be. It's not worth the chance.

Damn are his thoughts taking a depressing turn today. “How's it looking green bean?” he asks, hoping to get his mind off of it. Not that he particularly wants to talk about this either, but it's a start.

Bruce nods. “Everything looks good,” he says, “No more aphrodisiacs or any other foreign chemical. Aside from that, your blood results are also surprisingly healthy for the amount of caffeine you inhale a day. And the lack of real meals. Oxygen is a little low, but that's no surprise with the,” he motions to the arc reactor. Because Bruce, as a 'not doctor' had already guessed that it wasn't a superficial decoration when Tony first showed it to him, “But otherwise good.” And he does sound genuinely surprised.

Tony huffs. “Of course I am. I know everyone assumes I can't take care of myself, but I'd have thought at least _you_ knew better,” he crosses his arms in annoyance and begins spinning again.

Bruce holds up his hands in defeat. “I didn't mean it like that,” he protests, “I know you do. But I have to admit I've wondered before. Now I know.”

“Pilots in the Air Force have to be in top condition to fly. The suit is even more demanding that a plane. Of course I take care of myself. I just do it differently than other people are use to.”

“Because why be normal when you can stand out?” Bruce asks, smiling.

Tony flashes him a smirk. “Exactly. See, I knew that you knew me.”

“Whatever you say Tony,” Bruce laughs.

Tony beams. “That's right. Whatever I say. And I say we science. Forget all this alien crap for now. How about we blow something up?”

“I would ask what is it with you and explosions, but it also seems like a stupid question.”

Tony pushes off the floor so the he glides over to Bruce. “Come on Mean and Green, you know you want to,” he wiggles his eyebrows at him.

Bruce's mouth twitches. “What makes you say that?”

“Because you secretly love it. And the Big Guy loves me, so he knows not to crash the party when we're having fun.”

“Oh really?” Bruce asks skeptically.

“Told me so himself. Thinks it's funny actually. And who am I to argue with the Big Guy?”

“Yes, I can see why you would listen to that. I know how much you hate to argue,” Bruce says dryly.

Tony nods. “Exactly. Come on, you know you want to,” he sings.

Bruce sighs his 'I am going to regret letting Tony talk me into this' sigh. Because there are different ones for different occasions. Most of them involve Tony in some way. He's very proud. But then he nods. “One _small_ explosion,” he says.

Tony cheers. “Yes! Don't look so worried Brucie bear, we are going to have fun!”

“That's the part I'm worried about,” he says, but he's smiling again.

Science bros for the win.

This basically sets the pattern for the rest of the week. Wherever Tony goes, or what he seems to be doing, there is at least one person around. And if there isn't, give it five minutes and that will change. Suddenly they want his opinion on everything – from food to movies to stupid debates they are having. They want to know what he is doing and if they can help. Or they are silently hovering in the background. Just a constant presence all week.

Tony appreciates the support, he really does. But they are beginning to drive him nuts. He's use to a certain amount of privacy during the day, even if it's when he holes himself down in the workshop. Now he doesn't even have that. They are everywhere, all the time. He is seriously considering throwing them out a window. Even Steve.

Speaking of everyone's favorite window thrower, Tony hasn't seen Loki all week. Whether this is by accident or design, he doesn't know. But he finds that he can't stop thinking about him. He's worried damn it and he doesn't want to be worried. He doesn't want to deal with him at all. But given that Thor gives no sign of returning any time soon, he might have to. No one else certainly is. Besides, he might actually be able to get some peace then.

Peace is something he definitely needs right now. He wants to be able to get all of his thoughts in order without anyone able to see his facial expressions as he does. Then there would be questions and he would have to explain and ugh. No thank you. It would only make them worry more, which is the last thing he needs.

Funny, he's heard that time heals all wounds, but that's never something he's ever really experienced before. Time takes away the fresh sting of trauma sure, but heals? Not so much. Not for Tony anyways. His trauma has a way of sticking around. But for the first time, he thinks there actually might be something to it. He's never going to be thrilled about being dosed with sex pollen and made to have sex with Loki. Too many issues involved there.

But is Loki a trigger for that trauma? Not really. He'd have to see him again to make sure, but the thought of it doesn't send him into a panic. He doesn't feel dirty and used at the idea of seeing him again. Frankly he's more pissed at the daisies than anything. If the team is trying to keep them apart, they don't have to.

And yes, the thought of having sex still really isn't on the table right now. He's still a little too raw for that. But that isn't going to last forever. Just this once, it seems as if he is going to catch a break. His brain isn't going to latch onto this and freak the fuck out like it normally does. Yea for progress. Tony doesn't really want to question why. For once he has something that he can just shove to the back of his mind and leave there without any problems. And that is exactly what he does.

Now if only the team would get the memo. But then they get a call at the end of the week saying that some kind of mad scientist project either got out or was released into the city. Whoever did it was obviously messing around with genes because there are apparently some pretty odd combinations.

Which Tony sees first hand as he arrives at the location, “Well,” he says, “either someone was bored or they were watching too much Jurassic Park and decided to try it on a less deadly scale. Either way the cryptozoologists are going to have a field day.”

“Copy that Iron Man,” Steve says from the quinjet, “Can you get a count on these things and let us know how many there are? And _what_ they are,” he adds when he obviously sees an approaching... creature.

The creature obviously spots Tony at the same time because it makes a bee line straight for him. “That... is a frog bat,” Tony says, “What the hell? Yeah, someone definitely needs to lay off the movies for a while. Get outside, smell the pollution.”

“Maybe that's the problem in the first place,” Clint suggests.

“I thought everyone always blamed the water,” Natasha adds.

“That too,” Tony agrees, “Alright, so apparently I have a new buddy. Non hostile so far. Jay, give me a head count, will you?”

“There appears to be fifteen of these creatures within a ten block radius thus far. And two more are headed your way right now,” he adds right before Tony sees them. More of his brogs. Awesome.

“Got that guys?” he asks.

“Copy. And please try to be careful. Just because they aren't hostile now, doesn't mean that won't change.”

“Aye aye Captain,” he spins so that Steve can see him salute.

Steve sighs over the comms.

Tony grins as he dodges from one of his curious followers. You would think he would be use to that by now. Really he is, he just lives in the sad hope that one day Tony will tire of the joke. Poor thing. He never is. Especially not if Steve keeps reacting to it like that. It must be that he secretly likes it because there is no way he hasn't figured that out by now.

He flies low, scanning the streets. “Hey Mean and Green,” he calls as the jet lands, “I have the perfect buddy for you.”

Hulk grins. “Tin Man fun. Tin Man have best stuff.”

Tony laughs. “Sure do Big Guy, follow me.” He leads Hulk right to what appears to be a polar bear/ram mix. “Have fun,” he calls as he flies back up again.

“Hulk smash!” Hulk shouts with some real enthusiasm.

Tony's brogs are waiting for him. As he watches, the others find and engage animals of their own. Or the animals find the team, depending. Most are more curious than hostile, with a few exceptions. Hulk's polar ram is one. There's a bear/kangaroo that is doing some serious property damage. A creepy rabbit with some serious fangs on it. The cheetah/ape doesn't look too friendly right now either.

But there was also this turtle/duck that keeps circling Clint for some reason. Same with the lion/lizard that is stalking Steve. And the antelope/crab that is keeping an eye on Nat. Nothing overly threatening yet, but still something to keep an eye on. And let's not forget Tony's three newest friends. Tony is all but sure they are playing now. And maybe they want to taste him too, but it's not as if they can actually eat the suit, so he should be fine. They don't have the body mass to do much.

“Are we fighting them or are they playing with us?” he asks.

“I think he's looking for a snack,” Clint answers, “Sorry, all out of bread crumbs today.”

Steve, who is currently occupied with the beararoo, grunts, “If he's playing, he likes to play rough.”

“Need a hand?” he offers.

“Nah, you keep playing with yours. Seems you have a game of tag going on.”

Tony snorts because that is the best way to describe what he is doing right now. Playing tag. Trust Steve to notice that, even when he's busy. Tony pulls another fancy flip with a whoop. Yup, playing tag. And he's having a blast too. He loves flying. He loves flying more when he gets to pull out the fancy moves. There is just something about it that is super relaxing.

Plus his hypothesis has been confirmed when after the first lick, the brogs have stopped trying to taste him. Well, two of them have. The third one is determined to keep at it. Either he isn't too bright or he's that insistent on it. Still, no harm done. The worse he can do is throw Tony's flight pattern off a little, but this high up it doesn't really matter.

When Tony starts searching for Loki, he sees that he is taking on a rhino/orca quite happily on his own. Maybe a little too happily, if that feral smile is anything to go by, but who is Tony to judge? Thor gets the same way, so it's probably a space viking thing. Asgardians seems to like their fighting. A lot.

Or maybe it's a stress relief thing. That Tony definitely can't judge because he's done that before. He's pretty sure they all have. Some days it's just so satisfying to punch something. Steve is the master of that, especially in the beginning. Tony can't even say how many punching bags he went through before Tony _finally_ got the design down for something he wouldn't break. Well, he could say, but Steve doesn't exactly appreciate it. And Tony figures that was his right, being thrown into a new century and practically a new culture. Breaking punching bags was the least of his worries back then.

So while he probably shouldn't look so happy battling his chosen creature, Tony is smart enough to leave well enough alone. He still keeps an eye on him, just in case. Damn his brain. It was easier before this little revelation of his.

Next time he checks on the others, he automatically knows the press is going to have a field day with this. Tony might frame some of these pictures himself. Kodak moment for sure here. Nat is riding an armadillo chicken for some reason, her antelope/crab following faithfully behind. Clint has hopped on his turtle/duck. Directing it to go after the cheetah/ape. Hulk is still having fun, now taking on both the polar ram and the beararoo by himself. And Loki is still fighting his rhino/orca.

Tony swoops down and joins Clint. “Find a kindred soul did you?” he asks.

Clint flips him off cheerfully. “This is the most fun I've had since Mexican night last month.”

Steve groans. “I am trying to forget that night,” he complains.

Tony looks and sees that he is playing fetch, of all things, with his little stalker. The liozard is having a grand time trying to catch the shield before it bounces back into Steve's hand. It hasn't quite got the hang of it yet, but it's watching with avid excitement.

“Seems like a real dangerous bunch,” Tony comments.

“SHIELD wants them sedated for study,” Natasha says from her noble steed, “They have already found the kid responsible for them.”

“Ten bucks says that they offer him a job,” Clint says.

Natasha snorts. “Are you that desperate for money? Of course they are. Start herding them in, the trucks are in position. All of the dangerous ones have been dealt with already.”

“Aw, do I have to,” Clint whines, “I'm having fun.”

“Yes Clint.”

Clint sighs and then calls, “Follow the leader!” He flies down, heading towards the trucks. Even better, Tony's three brogs actually follow him. Yeah, people are going to have fun with this.

He scans the area and sees that both Hulk and Loki are done. Hulk is watching the trucks, but Loki is off by himself, still in the perimeter, but also alone. No real surprise there.

“Thirteen accounted for,” JARVIS tells him. “The other two seem to be hiding by Loki.”

Tony nods and drops down beside him. “Have fun?” he asks.

Loki looks at him suspiciously. “Why Stark, I didn't know you cared,” he says, false sweetness dripping from his voice.

Tony snorts but before he can say anything, he hears a meow coming from near his feet. It is a cat, but not just any cat. It would appear to be animal number fourteen because it also looks like a giraffe as well. A calico cataffe. About the size of a medium house cat, but with a neck and tail of a giraffe. “Hello there,” he says as he bends down, not able to resist. The cataffe comes right up to him, rubbing around his hand.

Tony scoops him? Her? He checks. Her up into his arms and instantly has an arm full of purring kitty. That she isn't all kitty is absolutely no problem for Tony. She's actually pretty cute, in an ugly sort of way. He looks at her, then around to see if anyone is watching and makes a split second decision. “Can you send her back to the penthouse?” he asks Loki.

Loki just looks at him blankly.

Tony raises his visor so that he can give him his best puppy dog look. “Please?” he asks again.

“You look ridiculous Stark,” Loki tells him.

Which is an absolute lie. Tony knows it is. This look works on the team all the time, especially Steve. Hell, not even Rhodey or Pep is immune to it after all these years if Tony is trying hard enough. “Do you really want this little girl to be picked apart by the mean, mean men?”

Loki continues to stare at him and then sighs. “Ridiculous mortal,” he mutters as the cataffe disappears from Tony's arms. “She will be waiting for you on your return.”

Tony grins at him. “Thanks Lokes, you're the best.”

“Strange, ridiculous mortal,” Loki mutters again, “Now if you will excuse me.” He walks casually away.

Tony hums and goes back to the others. He has a sneaking suspicion just what Loki is up to and he fully approves. No need to take away his fun. Especially since he has to be bored out of his mind since he got here.

The debrief goes as it normally does – dull and long. It seems especially long today because Tony knows just what is waiting for him back at the Tower. He already has JARVIS scanning and analyzing his newest girl to see exactly what she needs for her new home. He can't wait. His extra fidgeting has Fury giving him the stink eye, the team sighing fondly and Loki watching with amusement hidden in his eyes.

He rushes out of the room when they are done and flies back to the Tower in the suit instead of riding in the quinjet with the others. With the way he had been acting, none of them are going to be surprised by that decision. He sheds the suit and practically skips to his room. When he enters, he has a surprise waiting for him that has him snorting with laughter as he approached.

It would seem his cataffe is not the only animal Loki liberated for Tony. There is also Steve's fetch loving liozard. Both sniff at him as he drops to one knee. “Well hello there,” he says, grinning.

The cataffe purrs, rubbing around his hand. The liozard is more cautious, inspecting Tony without getting too close. But then he must pass the test because suddenly he has a lap full of genetically altered animal. “Uff,” he breathes as they both scramble to get comfortable, “easy you two. There is enough of me to go around. Jay, what have you found out about these two?”

“The cataffe, as you so imaginatively named her, is a female. The liozard is male. I have a list of both of their dietary needs as well as various scans of their structures. As you might have noticed, while both have wild genes in them, they are very domesticated. To that I would like to add that Prince Loki left their files on the table.”

“That was – generous – of him,” Tony says somewhat absently, petting his two new kitties.

“I imagine he picked them up when he picked up his own pet,” JARVIS says dryly.

Tony laughs at that. He knew it. He so called it. This is the perfect kind of mischief he thought that Loki would enjoy. Plus they are pretty cute, once you get passed the traditional sense of the word. Who could resist? “What did our resident Trickster pick up for himself?”

“It would appear to be a wolf bee.”

“A wolf bee?” Tony asks, “Wow. Let me see.”

The picture JARVIS pulls up on his TV screen has him cooing to himself all over again. Alright, so he is a closeted animal lover. Sue him. It's not as if he ever got a chance to go through this phase as a kid. Not with Howard around. And then he was shipped off to boarding school where it definitely wasn't happening. He thought about it after he graduated, but by then his life style wasn't really one that a pet would have fit into easily.

Now though, he finally has a pet of his own – two if the liozard doesn't claim Steve like Tony assumes he will – and nothing is going to take them from him. He adds Loki's wolfbe to the list. “Male or female?” he asks as he studies the picture. The body is a bumble bee, or something like that, with the head, legs and tail of a wolf, all in black. It's wings are tucked against its back in the picture, but Tony is sure that they are functional. Adorable.

“Female,” JARVIS answers.

Tony nods. “Make sure he gets all he needs for his little lady,” he says. Little. Ha! Not really. She is in the range of a medium to large dog. Not the size of a wolf, but not small by any means either.

“As you say Sir.”

Tony gives JARVIS a pointed look at his nearest camera and then goes back to petting his two pets. “What should we name you two, huh?” he wonders out loud, “Has to be something good. Something epic. Has to be something unique too.”

“You are quite skilled at coming up with unique names,” JARVIS quips.

“Did I asks for sass Jay?”

“I always hear you asking for sass Sir, but usually it's subtext.”

Tony flips him off. “No more internet for you. It's obviously corrupting your code. Now are you going to be helpful or are you going to keep being a smart ass?” he asks.

“I was unaware that one had to be one or the other. Maybe you should answer your own question first.”

“So much sass. All sass and no respect,” he tells his cataffe who is now sprawled out down his side. The liozard snorts in agreement from the other side, covering the majority of Tony's body as he does. “I'm glad someone around here agrees with me,” he says, patting him on the head.

“ Agrees with what?” Steve asks as he walks into the room. And then, “ _ Tony. _ ”

Tony grins. “Yes apple pie?” he asks innocently.

“What is this?”

“Our new pets obviously. Aren't you supposed to have super sight along with all those other enhancements? Or are you going senile in your old age?” He continues to smile as the liozard gets up and goes over to Steve and begins rubbing around him, just like Tony thought would happen. “Good Simba,” he says, “And Jay, what happen to a heads up? Not that I was going to hide of course,” he adds, “But some warning would be nice. I have a heart condition you know.”

“I elected to be sassy, not helpful,” Jay answers.

Tony gasps dramatically in fake shock, careful to keep Pixel from falling off his chest. “Did you hear that Steve? How could you Jay? I thought we had something together?”

Steve snorts and comes over to sit down next to him. Simba immediately curls into his lap, as well as he can, which is surprisingly well, all things considered. “Simba huh?” he asks, scratching his head, “And do I want to know how you got Simba and,” he motions to Tony's cataffe, “or am I going to regret asking?”

“Pixel,” Tony answers, “She's my Pixel. And really honey buns, what do you think?”

“That I should probably know now then be surprised later.”

“Or you could pretend to be oblivious. Reasonable deniability and all that.”

Steve looks down pointedly at Simba. “Yes, I am sure that would be terribly believable,” he nods.

Tony flicks his thigh. “Rude,” he tells him.

“Avoiding the question,” Steve says back, “Which means I'm really not going to like it, am I?”

“Honestly, I know you obviously want me to say it out loud, but do you really need me to? It's not as if I hid them in my suit, is it?”

Steve groans. “ _ Tony _ , you didn't.”

“Nope, I didn't. See, this is where that deniability comes in to play. I never said anything so you can pretend you have no idea how they just _magically_ ended up in the Tower. And you have a new snuggle buddy! Win-win right?”

“ Except the part where you stole them.  _ Magically _ ,” he adds, trying to look cross, “And the part where we have to return them.”

“Good luck with that,” Tony says, waving him off. “And really, this is a good thing. Think of it as team bonding. You know, the thing you are always on about. How it is important to spend time with each other so that we know that the other will watch our backs and all that crap? Or have you decided that is no longer a thing?”

Steve sighs. “I didn't think the two of you were talking after what happened.”

“You know what they say about assumptions,” Tony says sweetly.

“I'm serious,” Steve protests.

“So am I. Everyone is acting as if this is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. It's not fyi. Not even close. Shitty yeah, but no reason to cry over spilled milk and all that.”

“There's no shame in admitting that something – or someone – hurt you.”

“You're right,” Tony nods even though he personally disagrees. Admitting that only tells people where to hit you next. But Steve would be vaguely horrified and definitely puppy dog sad on Tony's behalf if he ever said that, so he moves on, “But in this case, I'm fine,” or as fine as he ever gets, “I know that I freaked the fuck out in front of you, but a guy needs a little adjustment period sometimes. Like aren't I allowed a little down time before I get back up again? Sometimes all I need is one big freak out before it's fine. Sometimes life is shit and it sticks. But it isn't so can't you let it go?” He sounds angry now, but he doesn't care. It's the truth.

“We just wanted to help you.” And now Steve really does look like a kicked puppy. Simba bumps his hand to get Steve to pet him again.

Tony sighs. “I get that. And I appreciate that. But I don't need it.”

“Loki gave you nightmares the first month he was here. I know because I was the one who woke you up, when you finally came to bed. They had been slowly going away, but then they increased again, violently. Don't try and tell me you are suddenly fine with him being here.”

“It wasn't Loki I was dreaming about,” Tony says, paying more attention to Pixel than strictly necessary.

“It wasn't?” Steve asks, surprised.

Pixel purrs under his hand so strongly that Tony can feel the vibrations of it. He nods. “They were of the portal. Space. What I saw up there. What I  _ felt _ . Yeah Loki was the catalyst for them, but he was never the reason behind them.”

“Why didn't you say anything?”

“Because I'm so good at talking about my feelings?” Tony snorts. “Really cupcake, you should know better by now.”

Steve huffs. “If I knew that, we wouldn't have tried so hard to keep the two of you apart,” he says.

Tony twists so that he can look at him. “What?”

“You heard me,” Steve shrugs, “The team has been trying to keep the two of you separated because I thought that he was triggering you. Not that you have ever admitted it.”

“So you told them about my nightmares?” he asks, starting to get pissed now.

“So I told them that you seemed to have a legitimate problem with him being here.,” Steve shoots back, voice like steel, “The same as Clint. So we made sure that neither you nor Clint had to deal with him much. That is what teammates do Tony! We look after each other. It doesn't make you weak. It makes you human.”

Tony rolls his eyes at him. “I am not a damsel in distress.”

“No, but forgive me for thinking that being thrown out a window wasn't exactly good for you,” Steve throws up his hands. Simba gets up in disgust, clearly done with this, and stalks over to the sunlight shining through the window to sleep.

Pixel hisses at Steve, obviously picking up how upset Tony is. He strokes her to calm her down. “I lived. I'm fine. I've gone through worse.”

“Trauma is not a competition. It can still mess with you without it being the worst thing you have ever experienced.”

“Haven't you heard Cap. I'm a Stark. Stark men don't really _do_ trauma,” he smiles bitterly.

Steve lets out a loud sigh. “If only I knew that I should have punched Howard in the face when I had the chance,” he mourns.

That startles a snort of laughter out of Tony. “Steve,” he protests, smiling.

Steve returns that smile. “I would have too. Not sure it would have done any good, but it would have made me feel a lot better.” He reaches over and runs fingers through Tony's hair. “Can I help it that I'm a bit protective of my fella? He's quite something you know.”

“Must be something special,” Tony hums, leaning into it.

“He is,” Steve agrees, smile growing, “He's one of the strongest and kindest people I know.”

“No need to over do it now,” Tony protests.

“It's true. Not that he ever believes me, but he is. All of the team sees it. Why else do you think we are so protective?”

“Because you're a bunch of flamingo hens,” Tony answers promptly.

Steve makes this hilariously confused face. “Flamingo hens?”

“Yup. Mother hens, but completely unsubtle about it – just about as subtle as a flamingo trying to sneak up on you.”

Steve laughs and bends down to kiss Tony's forehead. “I love you,” he says softly.

Well if _that_ isn't fighting dirty. How is Tony suppose to resist that? He isn't, that's how. “Love you too sweet cheeks,” the words slip out easily now, as if they had just been waiting to come out, “Now can you please call the guard dogs off?”

Steve kisses him one more time before nodding. “I'll let them know.”

“Good.” One less thing he has to worry about now.

“You know what else is good?” Steve asks.

“What?” Tony asks, suddenly suspicious.

“Letting me know if I am going to find any other new pets,” he quotes, “running – or flying – around the Tower.

Tony jumps up, taking Pixel with him. “Well I'd love to stay and chat, but I have work to do,” he says as he runs out the door.

“Tony!” Steve calls after him, but Tony is already in the elevator.

“To the workshop Sir?” JARVIS asks.

Tony shakes his head. “No, that is the first place he is going to check. Hmm.” An idea hits him. “Jay, to Thor's floor.”

“Looking for more trouble are we?” he asks as the elevator descends.

“Always,” Tony smirks.

“One should be worried when you are not,” JARVIS agrees as the doors open.

“You know it,” he says as he knocks on the door, “Hey Lokes, you in there?” he asks.

It takes a long moment, but then he gets an answer, “No Stark, I am not. I have such a busy social calendar you see. So many mortals, so little time.” His voice is so surprisingly clear that he must be using magic to make himself be heard.

Tony snorts. “Can I come in?”

“Could I stop you?” Loki asks dryly.

“You could, but everyone else has been demoted to lame sauce right now, which officially makes you the coolest person in the Tower right now besides me. Congratulations.”

“Was that supposed to be a pun?” Loki asks.

“What?” Tony asks, confused.

Another pause, one that seems assessing and maybe even slightly embarrassed, before the door opens on its own. As Tony thought. Magic. “Should I be expecting a pack of overprotective teammates barging in to rescue you?”

Tony follows the voice. “Nah, Steve promised to call them off. Not that I knew about it to begin with,” he adds, still slightly annoyed over that, “Besides, I didn't tell them where I was going and JARVIS isn't going to tell. Right Jay?”

“Correct Sir. As long as you are safe, I have no reason to alert the others.”

Tony sighs loudly and dramatically at that. “And what was the conversation I just had with Steve about?” he asks.

“His inability to realize what is truly upsetting you and what is not?”

Tony throws his hand up in the air. “I give up,” he mutters as he walks into the living room. Of course he knows what Thor's floor looks like. Not only did he design it, he has been over a few times since he arrived back from Asgard. Not since Loki moved in as well – security reasons – but it is now clear why that is as well.

But his brain about short circuits when he sees Loki sprawled out on the couch because  _ wow _ . He is always immaculately put together whenever anyone on the team sees him. Hair neat, leather armour on, not a thing out of place. Now his hair is still wet from the shower, spread out across the pillow. Chunky black headphones are connected to his phone where he is obviously listening to something. He is dressed in green plaid track pants and an oversize Phantom of the Opera sweatshirt. Tony isn't sure where he got it from or if he even knows what that musical is.

At his feet, curled up, is his wolfbe. She opens one eye to assess Tony and then closes it again. Obviously he passed the test. Pixel jumps down from his arm and goes to inspect the newest addition. Or maybe she isn't new to her. Maybe they know each other. Who knows. Tony doesn't know how much the animals were allowed to interact with each other. But it seems he doesn't have to be worried because after that sniff each other, Pixel happily goes to sleep with her.

He smiles, not able to help himself. When he looks at Loki, he finds that he is watching Tony right back. “Now what need of me do you have Stark?” he asks.

“I told you, I was bored and you're the only person I want to see right now. Plus I wanted to see how Balto was settling in.” He shrugs as if it was no big deal. As if he did this everyday.

“I beg your pardon, who?”

“Balto,” Tony points to his wolfbe.

Loki sighs. “Must you have a nickname for every living being you come into contact with?”

“Sure do. Admit it, you would feel left out if you didn't have one.”

“Simply devastated,” Loki rolls his eyes at him.

Tony smirks. “Have you seen it or just listened?” he asks, pointing to his sweatshirt.

“Yes, in my abundant free time I have, I sneak off to the theater.”

“That honestly wouldn't surprise me. You have to be bored to death, just sitting around all the time. Thor mentioned you're pretty smart, I translated that into a genius. I know I can never sit around long without going stir crazy.” He goes over and sits down against the couch right by Loki's hip.

“And because you cannot, we all must be held to your rules?” Loki sneers.

“You mean you can get your brain to shut up? Wanna share your secret?” He turns so the he can see Loki's face.

He is currently scowling at him.

“Alright then, so that's a no. Damn thought I had something there. So what version do you like best?”

“I had not thought you would be one for musicals. Your taste seems to run more towards bleeding ears than actual music.”

Tony makes an offended noise. “Okay, first off AC/DC does _not_ make your ears bleed thank you very much. Second of all, I'm not a fan per se, but there are some that I like.” He debates, thinking about if he really wants to go there vs what he is trying to do, “My Mom always loved musicals. She was a genius on the piano. Taught me when I was young. So whenever there was a show she wanted to see, she took me with her. It was one of the few times we could spend together peacefully without anything,” or any _one_ , “getting in the way.”

Loki doesn't seem to know what to say to that. He has an odd look on his face. Blank, but not quite. There is something else there, a faint longing that Tony doesn't know what to do with.

Tony shrugs. “Anyways, have you heard Chicago yet? I think you'd like that one.”

Loki simply looks at him.

“Hey Jay, put on Chicago, won't you?”

“Your wish is my command,” he answers.

“Someone is feeling sassy today,” Tony tells Loki with a roll of his eyes.

“For you Sir? Always.”

“Oh stop it. You're going to make me blush Jay.”

Loki mutters something, but Tony can't make it out. Then the movie starts and Tony doesn't bother trying to figure it out. It wasn't likely very flattering anyways. Tony ends up humming along, which earns him a harsh poke in the head. Tony sticks out his tongue, but stops. For about five minutes. That earned him another poke, but it still doesn't work.

They go through the entire movie like that until the end. “So what did you think?” Tony asks excitedly. He didn't realize just how much he missed this until now. He's not really one to share his past and musicals don't really fit in his image, as Loki so rightly pointed out. He hasn't listened to one in what seems like forever. But now that he potentially has someone to watch with again, he can't help but get into it again.

“Besides your atrocious humming? I found the jail scene particularly compelling.”

“Cell block tango is one of the bet songs. And it's humming, you can't mess up humming,” he protests.

“That is what you like to think,” Loki says, a hint of a smirk on his lips.

“Rude,” Tony tells him.

“Realistic,” Loki answers.

“Fine then, just for that, we're watching Moulin Rouge,” he says with a huff. Not that it is one Tony is terribly fond of, but that's not the point. The point is that, by the end of it, Loki looks as if he is going to kill Tony. Ha! So that is how Tony finds himself in a musical marathon with someone he never thought he would. Next they do watch Phantom of the Opera because no, Loki hadn't actually watched it, just listened.

Tony has found through the years that you can learn a lot about a person by their taste in movies. Loki hated Grease, but was somewhat fond of Les Miserables. Phantom he loved, along with The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Sweeney Todd. Tony was also introduced to one of the oddest ones he has seen to date, Repo! The Genetic Opera.  _ Wow _ .

So the obvious conclusion here is that Loki is into horror. It's all very shocking.

What's even more shocking is that Tony falls asleep after that. Or, not really, but that fact that Loki lets him says something. Tony kept expecting to be kicked out at any moment frankly. He never expected to stay this long. Or to have this much fun doing so. Life is weird like that.

When Tony wakes up, nightmares jerking him from sleep, he finds that he still on the floor, but he isn't alone. Pixel is stretched out on top of... the blanket covering him up. What? He sits up and finds that everything is dark and Loki's door is firmly closed. But that blanket definitely wasn't there when he fell asleep. He smirks to himself. He knew he was irresistible. Or, as Rhodey once said, impossible to ignore. Still, same thing right?

He stands up and folds the blanket. “Come on Pixel, let's go before apple pie thinks I really am pissed at him. Or that something happened.”

“I have already informed him that you are in good health and good mind,” JARVIS tells him.

“Thanks Jay, you're the best.” He debates going to the workshop to get some work done, but changes his mind and heads to Steve's room instead. While they have a habit of sleeping with each other – literal and otherwise – they still haven't taken the step to move in with each other. Tony thinks he might change that soon. They sleep with each other, more than not anyways at this point. Why not make it something more permanent? Hmm, idea. That might be the perfect idea actually.

“Tony?” Steve asks sleepily when he enters. He is a light sleeper.

Tony has to smile because Simba is already in bed. “Hey sugar pie,” he greets as he slips under the covers.

Steve sighs and wraps an arm around him when he moves close enough. “Hey sweetheart,” he greets, smiling, “have a good time.”

Tony hums and waits. Sure enough, within five minutes, Steve has fallen back to sleep. Tony smiles, snuggling back into him. He isn't planning on sleeping right now. Doesn't think he can, now that he has already woken up. But he can enjoy the feeling of Steve surrounding him. He's always so warm. It helps chase away the cold the nightmares always bring with them, when Tony can stand to stay where he is, instead of having to flee. Peaceful.

Safe. That isn't something Tony takes advantage of. Not anymore at least. He use to, when he was younger. Before Afghanistan, when he knew pain, but nothing like what was to come. When he was still a kid and still believed that his parents, no matter how busy or cold, could protect him. He grew up fast after that.

The next day, when Steve left for his morning run, Tony goes down to the workshop to get some much needed work done. Pixel drapes herself around his shoulders for part of the time before wandering off to explore. And then she sees the bots. His bots seem as curious about her as she does about them. That is an introduction to chaos, but Tony can't regret it. They are clearly having fun, even if they are going to wreck the shop in the process.

As he works, he finds himself humming Phantom's main theme. Glancing around to make sure that he is alone, no teammates sneaking in on him, he changes his playlist to the soundtrack. Hey, at least it isn't Le Mis. Those songs are the ones that get in his head and do not leave for weeks.  _ Weeks _ . Ugh. Do You Hear the People Sing? isn't too bad, but he hates when it's Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. Yeah, talk about depressing.

“Hey Jay,” he asks as he does some rewiring, “is Loki more of a book or a tablet person?”

“Going by the number of books in his room? I am going to have to think about that one Sir.”

“More sass? Am I going to have to look at your code to make sure you didn't get into something you shouldn't? Is there an internet version of crack? Because I feel that there probably is. You can find anything on the internet these days.”

“That is what they say. Right after they tell you that the aliens built the pyramids.”

Tony bursts out into a fit of laughter and can't seem to stop. He collapses in his chair and clutches his sides helplessly. He's not exactly sure why he finds that so damn funny, but he does. Damn does he ever. Maybe this is a release of the tension that has been hanging around the Tower. Maybe he really is just as cracked as people have accused him of over the years. No matter. By the time he stops, he has tears in his eyes.

“Maybe I am not the one who needs to be checked for crack Sir.”

Tony snorts. “Don't start again Jay. I don't think my chest can take it,” he says as he absently rubs the skin around the arc. Chronic pain is a pain in the ass. He sits back and slowly takes a couple of deep breaths. Most of the time he only registers it in the back of his mind anymore. It was much harder back when it was first installed, both in Afghanistan and when he got back. Then it really flared up when he was dealing with palladium poisoning. Now it is only a side note unless he really agitates it. Like laughing too hard. Or the hiccups. Those suck.

Dum-E comes over, concerned. Pixel is riding on top of him, which has Tony lightly laughing again. Ah, the joys of young love. Or is this curiosity killed the cat? Or, more likely, got her sprayed with a fire extinguisher. Because it is bound to happen eventually. It happens to everyone who spends enough time in the shop – Rhodey, Steve, Pepper. All of them have been sprayed. Not as much as Tony, but it does happen.

Rhodey is the one who deserved it the most. He is the one who taught the bot to do it in the first place. He doesn't care how much he denies it, Tony knows that he did. He built Dum-E in his dorm and Tony certainly didn't do it. He was going to wait to go over lab safety, shockingly enough, when Dum-E was introduced to an actual lab and not their room. Maintenance had a cow when they had to clean that up, but Tony made sure to tip them well for that.

Maintenance had a love/hate relationship with Tony. He made the biggest mess, but he always made sure that they got paid well if it wasn't something Tony couldn't fix himself. Actually, he's pretty sure all of MIT had a love/hate relationship with him.

He wipes his eyes. “Right, well, enough of that. Jay, order Stephen King's top ten books – no repeat if Reindeer Games has one – and deliver them will you?”

“Certainly sure. Would you like any message attached to them?”

“Since Lokes is so sentimental?” he asks, “Yeah, no, let's skip that part shall we. Any status on the supplies for Balto?” Not that Tony thinks Loki actually named his wolfbe Balto, but that is totally what he is calling her. It's fine even though Balto is a boy right? Then again, he calls Clint Merida, that's hardly his first concern when considering a nickname.

“It was delivered three hours ago.”

Tony nods and refocuses on the wires under his hands. “Good.” He loses himself in the work and doesn't stop until something snaps him out of his trance. He jerks up to see Steve standing in front of him. Looking down, he sees Simba is weaving in between his legs. He smiles. “Hey you,” he says.

Steve smiles. “Hey you,” he closes the distance now that Tony knows that he is there and pulls him into a kiss. “Having fun?”

“You know it. What brings you here?”

“Supper,” Steve grins.

“Already?” he asks as he stretches in Steve's arms.

“Yeah, already. At a good stopping spot?”

“Hmm,” Tony considers, “Yeah I am. Who is cooking tonight?” They try to take turns, even if that never really works out well. For one thing, Bruce is the only one who can cook decently. Steve can _kind of_ cook, Natasha is good at prep but not much else, Clint is good at pizza and _only_ pizza and both Tony and Thor are a disaster in the kitchen. But Tony would like to say that he is not as bad as Thor. No matter what the others say, nothing explodes when he's in the kitchen.

Besides, who can possibly focus on food when there are about ten million other things you could be thinking about? He can bake though, not that he's shared that with the others. Not with the way they eat. He'd never get any peace with their requests. But he's good if he has JARVIS as his timer, just in case. He has a tendency to get lost in his head otherwise.

“We're ordering in tonight,” Steve answers wryly.

Tony snorts at that. Yeah, it's probably a good idea. That's what they do most days. Frankly Tony is convinced that they are the ones keeping the local restaurants in business. He'll say one thing for living in New York, there are certainly enough of them around. They'd never have to eat at the same one twice if they didn't want to. Tony can't imagine their reactions when the call in. Debates on what to eat that day always happen at breakfast because they like to give everyone enough notice. It's like feeding a small army after all – lots of food. And Tony tips well, everyone knows that.

It either has to make their day or break it, getting that phone call.

“What's on the menu for today then?” he asks.

“Chinese.”

“Yum, wait, which Chinese? The one with the chicken or the one with the sauce?” Because there is a difference, no matter what the others say.

“The one with the sauce,” Steve answers.

“Oh good, that one is my favorite,” he smiles.

“Really?” Steve asks, “I had no idea.”

“Oh shut up,” Tony says as he walks ahead of him into the kitchen.

“Whatever you say sweetheart.”

“Are you two being cute again?” Clint asks them, “Because you know that's against the rules. No being cute when others are trying to eat.”

“I thought it was no making out when others are trying to eat?” Tony asks innocently.

“That too,” he adds.

“Good thing we would never do anything like that. Right honey bunches?”

“Absolutely love,” Steve agrees easily.

Clint fake gags into his plate.

“Really Tony,” Bruce chides gently as Nat throws a piece of broccoli at Clint, who, being the child that he is, tries to hide from it.

Tony just smiles. Oh if only they knew. Of course by now the team knows that Captain America, the title and Steve Rogers, the man, were two different things entirely. Captain America was a good and righteous man, always ready to do the right thing. Steve Rogers, while willing to do anything to help his friends, was also a stubborn little ass. One of the reasons he and Tony use to fight so much wasn't so much clashing personalities, it was that they were both stubborn as hell.

After Steve started to open up to them and his real personality came through, there was an adjustment period to be had. The man may be a legend, but the legend was not the man. Of course Tony already knew this from the stories Howard – but more so Aunt Peggy – told him, but it was still something to experience for himself. He could definitely see the man who jumped out of air planes without a parachute and went AWOL to rescue his best friend in the man who was now his teammate. It still took some getting use to.

Still, even after a year, the others still can't seem to shake _all_ of that awe of the legend because they never seem to realize that Steve can be just as bad as Tony. Or more like they fall for that innocent look of his and blame Tony instead. Really, they know Steve can be a little shit sometimes, yet they always seem to blame Tony anyways. How unfair. And rude. So rude.

First Rhodey and now Steve. He knows he has a reputation, but come on. It's not _always_ his fault. Alright, so maybe it is about three quarters of the time, but that still leaves a good quarter for someone else. Besides, it takes a special kind of person to put up with Tony. Not everyone can be his best friend or his boyfriend. They have to have a personality that clicks. No one ever seems to think about that though.

No one would believe them that it is not always Tony who initiates those public make out sessions. As if Steve is some kind of blushing virgin. Ha! Not by a long shot. Nothing shy about him in the bedroom. But would they believe Tony? No. Rude.

Tony claims a carton of vegetable lo mein and a carton of mango chicken before the others take it all. It is a lively affair as usual, everyone talking about this and that while demolishing everything in sight. Tony really isn't kidding when he says they need enough food to feed an army. The table is covered with cartons. If it could talk, it would definitely be protesting.

Looking around, he snags some fried rice, egg rolls, kung pao chicken and mapo tofu, pulling it off to the side. Not that there won't be any left over, but he plans on delivering it fresh this time. Nat watches him with a raised eyebrow. He returns the look. Once she reassures herself that he does if fact know what he's doing, she nods and goes back to eating.

Flamingo hens, all of them.

While the others clean up, he snags his spoils and heads off, adding some crab rangoon for him for later. Getting into the elevator, he doesn't even have to say anything before JARVIS is taking him down. Once there, he knocks on the door with his foot. “Hey Rock of Ages, I come bearing supper. Let me in.”

Once again there is a pause before the door opens on it's own. “Handy,” Tony comments, “you know, if you're not use to automatic doors I guess. Are all doors like that on Asgard or only for mages? Cause for supposedly being this advanced alien civilization, I'm still waiting to see the advance part. It's all very Viking so far except for the whole magic bit.”

“ Do you ever stop talking or do you continue until someone finds a way to shut you up?” Loki asks idly as he sits curled up in a chair, book in hand. One glance at it tells Tony it is  _ The Shining _ . Success. He totally called it.

“Oh they try, it just never really works out for them,” he answers as he sets the food down on the coffee table before taking a seat on the floor.

“On the contrary, I believe it worked rather well last time I tried,” he comments, still in that devil may care voice of his, still not looking at Tony.

Tony's breath catches, just for a second. Yeah, last time. Last time included Tony having Loki's dick shoved down his throat. Not that Tony didn't thoroughly approve of it at the time. Then he shakes the thought away. No. No he is not going there. And he is not going to let Loki take him there either. He shrugs lazily. “You weren't half bad yourself,” he replies.

Balto wanders over then and Tony starts petting him. She leans into it, practically melting under Tony's hand. Tony smiles. “Hey there cutie pie.”

“ And here everyone is under the impression that you are so, what is the word? Oh yes,  _ cool _ ,” Loki mocks him, still reading.

“Nothing wrong with being an animal person, is there?”

“No, but I was not expecting quite such an enthusiastic response either. Tell me, there is something I have been genuinely curious about since I have been on this planet.”

“Yeah?” Tony asks when he doesn't continue.

“Are all humans legitimately insane?” he asks seriously. 

Tony blinks and then bursts into laughter. He can't help it. This isn't Loki trying to be sarcastic or mocking mortals. He actually wants to know if humans are crazy. Well, fair enough. They have to seem pretty out there to other races. Then again, you would think with how 'limited' they are, they would seem almost boring. But obviously not.

Loki frowns. “There is no need to mock if you are not willing to answer.”

Tony shakes his head as he desperately tries to stop. “Sorry,” he gasps as he rubs his chest absently, “Not mocking. Promise.” He finally catches his breath, still amused. “I'm not making fun of your question. I mean, I'd think we'd all seem primitive to you, not crazy. But yeah, pretty sure all humans are crazy. Why?”

“Are you injured?” he asks instead.

“What?” Tony frowns.

“You keep rubbing your chest. Are you injured?”

“Ah,” Tony jerks his hand away. “No, I'm fine. Call it a habit. Nothing to worry about.” He grimaces, feeling the ever present ache.

Loki frowns and gets up to go into the kitchen. There is technically one on every floor, even if everyone tends to use the common floor instead of their own mostly. “And in answer to your question, you have the strangest reactions. You look at odd and potentially deadly wild animals and declare them cute. There is even a show about it. You find the most inhospitable places and then go to visit and to live there. You find things that will harm you and purposefully do them or ingest them. How is your species still alive?” He sounds positively baffled by this.

“Pure stubbornness,” Tony answers. “The only thing that is going to kill us is ourselves and we are going to figure out everything we can before we do.”

Loki hums. “Interesting.” He walks back in, carrying a steaming mug, which he holds out to Tony. “Here.”

Tony looks at it. “What is it?” he asks, making no move to touch it.

“Ice cream,” Loki deadpans.

Tony snorts.

“It's not poison if that is what you are worried about. Here. Drink.”

“I don't like to be handed things,” Tony tells him.

Loki rolls his eyes as if _Tony_ is being the stubborn one and then sets it on the table. “Drink,” he orders again. He picks up a pair of chopsticks and begins to eat the chicken.

Cautiously Tony picks it up and sniffs it. Fruity. He takes a sip and hums at the flavour. Tea will never be his go to drink, but this is pretty good. The warmth spreads through him, taking the ache away. By time he has drank the entire thing, it's gone. And not gone as in able to ignore it now, but completely gone. “What _is_ this?” he asks again.

“An Asgardian tea to relieve pain,” Loki answers after swallowing a bite.

“That's some hell of a pain reliever.” Tony can't even remember what it feels like to go without pain.

“Yes,” Loki agrees, “Too bad the idiots let pride get in the way, more often than not. They prefer more masculine forms of pain relief,” he sneers, “Mainly mead. Fools.”

Tony has to privately agree with Loki on this one. This stuff is amazing. As is, he's already dreading the return after even this little break. “Can you build up a tolerance to this?” he asks. Maybe that's why they use alcohol instead.

“Not that I've found,” Loki says.

Well isn't that a slightly ominous statement. He seems to be good at those. Use to pain then, is he? Tony doesn't want to know. “Thanks,” he says awkwardly.

“It is no trouble. Thor keeps me supplied each time he returns from Asgard. You may use more if you so wish so.”

Um,  _ wow _ . That seems out of character for someone who is insisting on acting like an asshole. Not that Tony really has room to talk. So it's not an accusation, it's a fact. Which is what makes it all more of a surprise. He just nods as he fiddles with the empty mug.

“So what do you want now Stark?”

“Can't a man deliver food without wanting something?”

“No,” Loki says firmly.

“Well that sounds depressing. I'll have to change that.” He grins brightly.

Loki sighs. “Stark I do not know why you have suddenly decided to bother me. If it is pity then get out. If it is an attempt to befriend me in an attempt to get on Thor's good side, there are better ways. If you are trying to get some sort of favor, the answer is no. Other than that, I cannot imagine why you are here.”

Tony just stares at Loki for a long moment. “What kind of life have you led?” he finally asks, more for the sake of saying something than expecting an answer. He doesn't really need one. 

The fierce look Loki gives him says it all anyways.

Tony nods. “Yeah, okay then. Challenge accepted Lokes.”

“I did not challenge you Stark,” he says harshly.

“Yeah you kinda did. I'm not here for any of those things, not that you're going to believe me now. So I'm going to have to prove it instead.” Just like Rhodey and Pepper had to do with him, in the beginning.

Loki scoffs at him. “Really Stark, no one wants to spend time with the monster.”

Tony thinks about his next words carefully. “What about another monster?” he asks.

Loki scowls even more at that. “The Incredible Iron Man, a monster? Please. Even _Thor_ is able to lie better than that.”

“I wasn't always a hero,” he shrugs, “Truth to tell I've never called myself one. That's all been other people. But before I built my first suit, I had a different title – Merchant of Death. You can imagine how well people thought of me for that. As if that was the only thing I did,” he adds bitterly. Sure, his wealth and his good looks were also reasons to talk about him, but one way or another, it always seemed to lead back to his weapons.

“What happen?” Loki asks disinterestedly, “Did you have blood on your ledger?”

He is mocking, but he isn't far off. “Something like that. I found out my weapons were being used by the wrong people when I was kidnapped. Someone was double dealing. Turned out it was my godfather, who incidentally ordered the attack on me as well. It was a fun time. Built the suit to escape,” he shrugs as if it is no big deal. As if thoughts of Obie and the Ten Rings still don't haunt his nightmares.

“So you became a hero after you escaped. How wonderful for you.”

“No,” Tony corrects, “I built a suit and tried to clean up the mess I made through my arrogance and blindness. Tried to make up for it. Somehow people thought I was a hero for that. All I was doing – all I _am_ doing – is cleaning up my own mess. You're not the only monster in this room.” He shakes his head. “But whatever. Wanna watch an obnoxiously happy musical and mock it?” he asks brightly.

Loki nods, looking both suspicious and curious. Oh the poor fool.

They end up watching the Sound of Music, which went as well as Tony thought. Mainly, by the end Loki declared, “I _hate_ you Stark.”

“Aw firefly, you say the sweetest things to me. Tell me another.”

“I dearly wish I could throw you out another window. If those songs get stuck in my head, I will make your life a living hell,” he threatens.

“Wow, sheesh, I get it. No more Sound of Music,” Tony holds up his hands in surrender. “No need to get murderous over it. How about Hairspray next?”

“How likely am I to have obnoxious songs stuck in my head?”

“Don't all musicals get stuck in your head? Isn't that practically a rule? It's like Disney, once you hear them, you can never unhear them. Pretty sure that is a lost cause. Besides, you liked mocking it, didn't you? You totally mocked it.”

“That does not mean I still do not hate you for it. Now answer the question.”

Tony shrugs. “It's still cheesy, but it's better?” he offers, “I imagine you are still going to mock, but the music is better in it.”

“It better be,” Loki says darkly.

But as it turns out, Loki got strangely attached to Hairspray. They ended up watching it twice. When asked why, Tony got a pillow thrown at his head for his trouble. He thought he better not ask again in case the next time it was something decidedly more lethal.

Tony leaves after that with the assurance that he is going to be humming the songs for the next week. Damn it Loki. He couldn't have chosen another one to latch onto? He still has no idea why either. Probably something embarrassing, which is why he is never going to find out either.

But things are going good. Sure, the team thinks he is slightly insane for voluntarily spending time with Loki, but they have always thought that, for various reasons. What's one more? Eventually they fan out from musicals to other genres. As Tony had previously noticed, Loki is drawn towards horror. So Tony introduces him to the popular horror authors. And then fantasy and sci fi because he likes the world building. They watch the classics – Star Wars and Star Trek as well as the unknown and the under budgeted.

Tony finds out Loki does not like gore unless he can mock it. He doesn't like violence for violence sake alone. Sure, if needed, he has no problem being a vicious little space Viking. But otherwise? Not so much. So no gory movies – Halloween is the exception because Loki laughed so hard at that he snorted Pepsi up his nose. Tony is sworn to silence on that on pains of death.

Thrillers are a good one too, but Tony kind of hates them. He has an active enough imagination without adding fuel to the fire. So they compromise. Tony introduces Loki to Goosebumps, which he instantly falls in love with, kids movies or no.

“Honestly Stark, are you _trying_ to traumatize your children?”

“We are so watching Coraline after this. Kids love it, but it freaks adults the hell out. Oh and Graveyard Book too. You should like that one too.”

“Insane mortals.”

“Pretty much yeah.”

He even starts trying to bring Loki into the group more. Not that he thinks the team and him are going to suddenly become best friends, but he refuses to act as if his spending time with Loki is a dirty secret or something. So he drags him out to the den to binge watch Harry Potter – Loki's commentary is hilarious – and Jason X – because it deserves to be mocked.

No one has died yet and all body parts are still attached, so Tony counts it as a win. Sure, there have been a few shouting matches, but that is practically normal anyways. The team is either a frat house or a nursery, depending on the day. JARVIS loves to sass Tony that he has found kindred souls at last.

There were a few incidents that showed that, frankly, Loki fit right in. The first was when Tony had dragged Loki to lunch that day. It was awkward to be sure, but he paid the others no mind. But then he began humming Cell Block Tango, which is still one of Loki's favorite songs. And of course Tony knew all the words to it – his Mother had adored it for some strange reason as well. Thus when he got to the refrain, Tony had sang “If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it, I betcha you would have done the same,” without really realizing he had until he saw the team staring at him.

“ Since when can you  _ sing _ ?” Clint had asked.

Tony shrugged, slightly embarrassed, but refused to show it. “I told you before Birdbrain, I am a genius. I can do anything.”

“You have a lovely voice,” Nat agreed.

“What's the song from?” Steve had asked, which is how all of them ended up watching Chicago together.

The next time was when Loki had clearly been having a bad day and decided that Tony needed to suffer as well. He had walked past him, singing, “Do, a deer, a female deer. Re, a drop of golden sun,” and then walking out of the room again.

“LOKI!” Tony had shouted after him. All he got is laughter in reply. Tony had that damn song in his head for the next two weeks.

Steve is supportive through it all. They all are, but Steve likes to make sure that Tony knows just how much he loved him. Tony, in turn, makes sure he doesn't neglect anyone from hanging out with Loki too much. It can be a bit of a balancing act, which is why Tony is trying to get the others use to Loki so that he can be around everyone without having to feel as if he is playing favorites.

That and, to his surprise, he finds that he is enjoying spending time with Loki. At the beginning, it wasn't as if he assumed he was going to be miserable while doing this. But there had been some 'I _have_ to do this, but I don't _want_ to' in there. But no, he legitimately likes hanging out with him. Turns out they mash together pretty well. They both have a way with words, both have issues that neither mention and both are nerdy.

Tony is just waiting for the day he can ask about Loki's magic without having him bite his head off. Or have him assume that he wants to know so that he knows how to take Loki down. Yeah no. He wants to understand. Thor is good at saying that magic as humans think of it is just really advance science of Asgard. Too bad he never explains it beyond that.

But the point is, Tony thinks that he could actually call Loki a friend by now. Whether or not Loki agrees is another thing entirely. Might mean he doesn't think so or it just might mean that he refuses to agree out loud. He's prickly like that.

And then everything changes the day Tony decides to watch Wicked.

In Tony's defense, he had no idea that this was going to be such a disaster. He only has the vaguest ideas of what to avoid by what Thor accidentally let slip every now and again. Adopted and some family issues sure, but this? Loki's reaction? Yeah, no, he definitely needed to know more to make the call.

He had been quiet from the beginning, ever since Elphaba first came on the screen. He had gotten even quieter from there. Tony didn't think anything of it at first. He didn't realize Loki was drawing in on himself until the end, when the Finale ended. He turns and looks at Loki, to get his opinion and then sees that something is wrong. Loki is shaking.

“What-” is all he has time to ask before Loki stands and towers over him.

“Have you had your fun now Stark? Had your fill of mocking me?” he snarls, enraged.

“What are you talking about?” Tony asks, staying right where he is. Loki reminds him of nothing less than a feral animal right now. Any thing too sudden could set him off. “Wanna explain what you're thinking Lokes?”

“I should have known this wasn't real. I should have known all you wanted was a chance to get another joke in. Isn't that what you are good at Stark? Jokes? Clever little quips? Now you've had your fun, now get out.”

From the chair, Balto lets out a low warning growl, picking up Loki's mood. Pixel hisses right back.

And Tony? Tony is still confused. “Still don't know what you're talking about sugarplum fairy. You going to clue me in?”

“As if you did not already know. I am sure Thor had a grand time telling his new precious Shield Brothers. How could he resist? The monster he thought was his little brother.” Loki gives a bitter laugh, “I am sure you all enjoyed it as well. Proof that you are right.”

Tony shakes his head. “He mentioned you were adopted, but that is all. What's wrong Lokes?”

“ _ Stop calling me that _ ,” Loki snarls, “As if I will believe your pathetic lies. Very clever, luring me in like that. Well no more. Get. Out.”

Tony stands slowly, but he has no intention of leaving. He signals for JARVIS to stand down for now. Loki is pissed and Tony isn't stupid enough to think he isn't dangerous, but Tony doesn't feel threatened yet. And any wrong move at this point is going to end in disaster. “I told you before, I don't see you as a monster Loki. I never have.”

Loki hisses at him, not unlike Pixel herself.

Tony takes a step forward so that they are practically touching. “I don't,” he repeats, “So what's up buttercup?”

Loki lets out another snarl and then suddenly he is blue and the temperature drops rapidly. Tony cannot help the shiver that runs through him as he blinks in shock. Okay then. Adopted. Right. Thor could have mentioned that it was a little more complicated than just that. Might have saved Tony some trouble now.

“That's right Stark, see the monster that has invaded your home. Run. Grab your pitchforks and torches and see what I truly am.”

Tony stares for a long moment. He looks different, sure. And no one is going to mistake him for human like they do Thor if they don't recognize him. But monster? No, he's not seeing it. Must be a cultural thing coming into play here. Although that last comment was rather telling. Hmm, really wish he would have known that sooner. Apparently the happy ending didn't help much. Then he comes to a decision and reaches out and grabs Loki's wrist.

It is like holding an ice cube in his hand – really fucking cold.

Loki jerks back as if Tony had just hit him. He tries to pull his wrist away, but Tony had been ready for that. He holds on. Not that he thinks he is any match for Loki's strength if he really tries. He's too strong. But this is more of a desperate attempt then anything. It pulls Tony off his feet, briefly, but he doesn't let go. “You are not a monster,” Tony repeats. His hand is going numb, but he doesn't care at this point. Not the real problem here.

Loki laughs bitterly again. “If my own brother believes I am a monster than why should you think differently? I know what I am.”

“Thor thinks you're a monster?” he asks, shocked. He certainly doesn't act like it. And also, “What exactly is that by the way? Cause – and don't throw me out the window for this – I think it's pretty cool to be honest,” he jokes.

That seems to bring back some other emotion into Loki's eyes. “I truly should. That was horrendous Stark,” he says.

Tony grins. “But true. Seriously, it's an intriguing look. How far do those lines go down?”

“Be careful, one might think that is a bad come on.”

“Nah, we've already done that remember? Good times, but not something we are ever going to repeat. Unless you've changed your mind?” Tony asks, almost curious. Because he certainly hasn't, but has Loki?

But Loki snorts. “Only in your dreams Stark.”

“Yeah, no, not really. Sorry Snowflake, but you're at the back of the line when it comes to that.”

“ _What_ did you just call me?” Loki asks.

“Snowflake. What? You can't honestly tell me you're shocked. This opens up a whole new line of nicknames and you expect me to ignore that? Come on. But yes, snowflake because you are one special snowflake.” He smiles winningly at Loki. “No, but seriously, science wants to know about those lines. Also can you tone it down a little? I can't feel my hand anymore.”

“One would assume that is a sign that you should let go,” Loki tells him, much calmer now. There is still an edge of anger and bitterness lingering, but it is no longer the dominate emotion.

“Again, have you met me? Can I touch them? Do they mean anything? Can you see different spectrum of light now since your eyes are red? Work with me here Frosty.”

Loki stares at him.

“You remember when you asked if all humans were crazy?” Tony asks, suddenly remembering.

Loki nods.

“Consider this further proof. My first instinct is to poke, not run. What?” he asks when Loki stares at him, “Come on, the first time I met Bruce I told him I was a fan of the way he turned into a big, green rage monster. And then I poked him. The Big Guy is awesome. I have never had a problem with him so how can you possibly think I would have a problem with this? I am serious about my hand though. I kind of need it to work.”

Loki pulls away again, shaking his head. “Ridiculous mortal,” he says.

Tony grins as he finally lets go. “Yeah, but I'm _your_ ridiculous mortal. Right?”

“I will not ruin your delusion for you. Mainly because it will do no good,” Loki says as he walks over to stare out the window.

“Not really no,” Tony agrees as he follows him.

“I am Jotunn, a Frost Giant. The monster the Asgardians tell their children about at night. They are ruthless monsters, only intent on killing and destruction. They have no culture, no intelligence. Only mindless beasts. That is what we were told all our lives. Thor had a grand time as a child, dreaming of killing all the monsters for the glory of Asgard. And then I find that I was a monster all along.” He leans against the glass.

Tony watches as it freezes, frost spreading across it.

“My actions have only driven the point home. Frost Giants are nothing but savages, bent on murder and death. Thor can ignore that all he wants, he knows it is the truth. My first family threw me away and my second family was not mine at all. Only an illusion.” He turns and looks at Tony over his shoulder, “No one mourns the wicked,” he says.

Alright, so there are a bunch of issues going on here. Great. Because Tony is so good at dealing with his own issues, let alone other people's. Awesome. When Tony touches Loki again, making sure Loki knows he is going to, he is warmer now. Not normal human temperature, but more like a can of pop that has just been taken out of the refrigerator – still cold, but not freezing. He smiles. “Heya Frostbite.”

“You are going to be insufferable now aren't you?” he sighs.

Tony grins. “What do you think?”

“Oh joy,” Loki deadpans.

“So about those lines...”

Loki sighs again. “I do not know what they mean. I've only found out recently, all things considered, and at the time I had other times to worry about. Why are you so fixated on them?”

Tony shrugs. “I'm an engineer. I poke things that interest me, it's what I do. Do 'other things' have to do with that giant ass robot that got sent to New Mexico? Because Thor still hasn't explained that all real well. At first they thought it was something _I_ built. Flattering that they think so well of me, but no.”

“If you truly must.” Loki turns and motions for Tony to follow him. He walks into his bedroom, shedding his sweatshirt and pants as he does. Stretching out on the bed, he is left in his very tight, very nice, black silk briefs. The stretching out probably is more him trying to get comfortable and relaxed, but that's not what it looks like from Tony's point of view.

Tony snorts when he sees them. “Are you trying to look like porn? Because you are doing a good job if you are. You could always get a job as a model if nothing else.” He bends down and slips Loki's Phantom sweatshirt on. If it is big on Loki, Tony is swimming in it. Still, it is warm, which is what he is going for right now.

Balto and Pixel follow, both jumping up on the bed and laying down. Those two are clearly friends and it's adorable to watch.

“In which skin?” he asks.

“Both honestly. Insane humans remember? You already have a fangirl following, a picture of you like this would do nothing to stop them. They might see it as encouragement.”

“Stark,” Loki says slowly, “if a picture of me like this appears on the internet, I will murder you. Understand?”

“Geez, no need to get violent. Even I'm not that much of an asshole,” he holds up his hands.

“See that you aren't,” Loki warns.

Tony shakes his head and sits down next to him. It's like sitting next to the air conditioning now, not the freezer. “Wanna talk about it?” he offers as he gently traces his first line on Loki's chest.

“Attempting to play therapist?” he mocks.

“As if,” Tony shakes his head, “but people are always telling me better out than in.”

“Do you ever listen to them?” Loki cocks his head, not unlike Pixel. Or Balto too. Both of them do it. Well, like owner like pet.

“Only rarely,” Tony shrugs.

Loki hums and is silent.

Tony focuses on the skin beneath him. It really is fascinating.

But then Loki begins talking.

Tony startles, not expecting it, but then listens, not saying a word. Contrary to popular belief, there are times he knows when to shut up. Now is definitely one of them.

Loki talks a lot. He talks about his childhood, about Thor and Frigga and Odin. He talks about what it was like growing up, always feeling like he was never good enough. How the people regarded magic as weak and lesser, meant for women, not men. He talks about secrets revealed in the worst possible way at the worst possible time. He talks about his fall and what it led to. He just talks.

And Tony listens, tracing lines all the while. It hits him hard, a couple of times, just how similar they are. Some of their issues line up perfectly. It's scary, almost. But he still doesn't say anything until Loki finally stops. “I'd like to make an official statement,” Tony says.

Loki opens his eyes to look at him. He had closed them some time during the retelling. “Yes?” he asks.

“Asgard eats ass,” he says, very seriously.

Loki snorts a laugh at that. “Oh for them to hear you say that. There would be such a wondrous reaction.”

“I'm sure,” Tony agrees, “But no, seriously, screw Asgard. I'm not going to sit here and say you are completely innocent in all this, but your issues didn't pop out of nowhere. There's no way I can condone killing an entire planet, but well,” he shrugs, “I can see your logic – twisted as hell by the way – but it's there. Asgard really fucked you up, you know?”

“Oh believe me Stark, I am well aware of how 'fucked up' I am,” he quotes.

Tony nods. “You're in good company though. Everyone in this Tower is fucked up, one way or another. We all have pasts, even if some are better than others. Can't say we have attempted genocide, but hey, go big or go home right?”

Loki closes his eyes again. “I believe this is all the proof I need.”

“For what?” Tony asks.

“Mortals are truly insane.”

Tony laughs.

He ends up making them both hot chocolate after that. Loki snarks about giving a Jotunn a warm drink, but he has three cups before he is done. Clearly the temperature isn't a problem after all. It's a weird night, but good. Which could realistically be a summary of a lot of things in Tony's life, so it fits right in. It gets even better when Tony decides now is a great time to ask Loki about magic. No one sees them for the next three days.

It might have gone on longer, but Pep showed up at Tony's penthouse looking for him. Tony knows better than to hide from Pep. Especially since she doesn't know that he and Loki are friends now. Her barging in on them is not the best way to tell her.

“Pepper, light of my life, how are you?” he asks as he enters.

“ What is  _ that _ ?” she asks even without a hello, pointing to Pixel.

“My pet. Isn't she adorable?” He scoops her up. “Pep, this is Pixel. Pixel, this is the lovely Pepper Potts.”

“Flattery won't get you anywhere right now Tony,” she says, but she's smiling, so Tony counts it as a win. “Please don't tell me you didn't steal her.”

“I didn't steal her,” he confirms instantly. Which is right when Simba runs into the room.

“Tony!” she shouts.

“I didn't steal him either,” he says.

She look at him suspiciously. “SHIELD just happen to give them to you then? Because they love you just so much?”

“Exactly,” he says.

She sighs. “Do I _want_ to know?”

“You know,” he bends down to pet Simba, “Steve asked me the exact same thing. Why do none of you have any faith in me?”

“Long years of practice,” she says dryly.

“I'm hurt Pep. Completely devastated,” he puts a hand over his arc reactor.

“I'm sure,” she agrees pleasantly, “Now do I get an answer or am I going to have to guess?”

“I still didn't steal them,” Tony shrugs.

“Then who did?” Pepper asks.

Tony grins brightly. “Loki did.”

Pepper groans. “I knew I didn't want to know,” she mutters.

Tony laughs. “Come on Pep, it's not that bad. Turns out Lokes is pretty _cool_ once you get to know him,” he smirks.

“I'm not even going to ask,” she says, shaking her head. “But he's treating you right? Not subtly – or not so subtly – threatening you or anything like that? JARVIS?” she checks.

Tony huffs. No trust at all around here.

“I have been monitoring them and there has been no sign of danger towards Sir.”

“Thank you Jay,” Tony says, rolling his eyes, “Snowflake is an asshole, but so am I, so it fits,” he tells her. “Plus I can take care of myself,” he says firmly.

“Of course you can,” Pepper agrees in a tone that has Tony narrowing his eyes at her.

“Pepper, what did you do?”

“Nothing,” she says, “It's what I _would_ have done that you should be concerned with.”

Tony signs. “Flamingo hens and mother dragons all around.”

“Flamingo hens?” Pepper snorts, “Rhodey and I are obviously mother dragons, but who are flamingo hens? And why?”

“Because the team is about as subtle as a flamboyance of flamingos, that's why.”

“And _why_ were they hovering?” Pepper asks, zeroing in on the incident that Tony just _does not_ want to tell her about. She is going to react badly.

He shrugs. “There might have been a small incident that they overacted to,” he says casually.

“And what 'small incident' is that?” she quotes.

“Sex pollen might have been involved. And Loki. But it turned out fine,” he hurries on, “No need to go mother dragon on me, everything is fine. Not an issue, _please_ do not make it into more than what it is. I've already gone through that once.”

Pepper stares at him and then asks, “JARVIS?”

“Sir is correct. While there were some difficulties in the beginning, he has moved past them,” he confirms.

Tony breathes a sigh of relief. Good, with Jay backing him up then Pep won't drag this out.

“As long as you're sure then,” she says.

Tony nods with feeling.

She smiles. “Fine then. Now I've come to confirm that your schedule has been cleared and there will be no business that cannot wait until the next day. So,” she leans forward, “what do you have planned for your anniversary?” she asks.

“ Why Miss Potts, did you come here to  _ gossip _ ?” Tony gasps dramatically, “I am shocked. Shocked and appalled I say.”

Pepper rolls her eyes. “Spill the beans Stark. You've only been obsessing over this for weeks now.”

Tony grins. “I have reservations at our favorite restaurant and then there is a gallery that has agreed to open its doors early for us,” he grins, very proud of himself. “And then,” he licks his lips, “I'm going to ask Steve to move into my room.”

Pepper squeaks happily and hugs him. “Oh Tony that is wonderful. I am so happy for you,” she says, smiling.

It is times like this that Tony thanks every deity that even though they didn't work out romantically, he and Pepper are still close. They will always be there for each other, if not in the same way as before. They've been friends for years and neither was going to let an ill timed romance get in the way of that.

“So it's good? Not too flashy or anything?” he asks, only slightly worried.

“I think it's perfect,” she reassures him. “Now come on, you can't just leave me with that. I want all the details since we last spoke.”

Tony laughs, but obeys. He and Pep spend the next few hours gossiping with each other before she has to go back to the office. He smiles as she leaves. If it is Pepper approved that means it has to be good. He can't wait, the day is going to be perfect.

But you know what they say – the gods laugh while men plan.

On the day of Tony and Steve's anniversary, they manage to have a lie in – a rather satisfying one in particular – and make it through a nice, relaxing breakfast and then The Sword in the Stone – because Tony has a soft spot for the movie – before they alarm sounds. Tony lets out a string of curses that would impress any sailor or soldier. Steve certainly looks it, even if a bit disapproving as well. Like he has room to talk. He can tell them 'language' all he wants, he is just as bad. Not on the field, true, but off it.

And what does that call end up being? Doom Bots. _Doom Bots_ of all things. As if they aren't supposed to be Reed's problem. But it seems that he and the team are off universe – again – so it falls to the Avengers to clean it up. Next time he is going to protest. Let the X-Men have a turn or a number of other heroes that insist on living in Manhattan. Why is it always Manhattan? Not even New York in general, although there are some, but there are more in Manhattan than anywhere else in the city. Let them have some fun for a change.

And, because Tony just has this kind of luck, it seems that they have been given an upgrade today. Not only are there a lot of them, they are harder to kill than usual. Because obviously he needed the extra stress today. Super.

Honestly, why today of all days? He would blame it on Doom wanting to be extra annoying, but he can't. The public at large doesn't know that he and Steve are together yet. Tony had wanted some time to themselves, relatively speaking, before an announcement was made. Give time for Steve to back out without too much drama if he realized early on that dating Tony was too much. Obviously that hasn't happened yet, so the announcement will likely be made soon, but for now only the team, Rhodey and Pep know about it.

So this is just his kind of luck after all. Oh the joys of being a superhero. The fame. The fortune. The experience of getting slammed into a building on a weekly basis. Yes ladies and gentlemen, this is the life.

“Alright team,” Steve calls, “you know the drill. Get to work.”

And it's true. They've done this song and dance so many times that they don't have to go over the battle plan anymore. While every fight is technically different, a lot of it ends up being the same. Tedious, boring and sweaty. Not what Tony would personally call a good time. He saves that for the interesting ones. This is anything but.

Tony takes to the sky and gets to work. But they all find out quickly that this is going to be even more tedious than normal. Because of course Doom decided that today was a good day to try out a new design. They aren't any smarter, but they are harder to destroy. Even all the usual suspects in Tony's suit is having some trouble cutting through them. Not impossible, but it takes longer that usual.

Clint starts complaining about five minutes in about his arrows not working. “What the hell are these things on anyways? Steroids? Don't they know those only work short term?”

“I don't think they're too worried about their future at this point,” Natasha says, “But they do seem to be more durable than normal. My guns don't phase them, but my bites are still effective. Not up to the usual standard, but they are.”

“How about you Cap?” Tony asks as he flies over, watching the field, “Feeling the love yet?” At least Hulk doesn't seem to be having any trouble, going by his delighted roar. He's about the only one who is happy about this. He loves Doom Bots. They're fun to smash apparently.

“Always,” Steve answers, making Tony grin. “It looks like it's an angle game. Hit they at them right angle and they fall apart.”

“Or,” Tony adds, watching Loki, “you could always just rip their heads off. That works too.”

“Dull and terribly unimaginative. A child could do this,” Loki says as he goes after another.

“Steroid children maybe,” Clint mutters. Because of course he does. The two still aren't terribly comfortable with each other.

“One thing Asgard breeds well is fighters. It is not my fault that Midgard is not the same,” Loki answers – because he's a little shit like that. Never let it be said that he doesn't get the last word in. Unless he is talking to Tony. Then the two can go on for hours – literally. The team usually leaves the room when they get into it.

“ Not all of us are from godland Snowflake,” Tony cuts in before they can start, “But can we please get a move on? I had plans tonight that don't include any of  _ this, _ ”  he motions to the sea of silver bots below him, even if the others can't see him.

“Does this mean I finally get to know where we _are_ going?” Steve asks as he flicks his wrist and sends his shield flying once again.

“Keeping your man in the dark Stark?” Clint teases.

“Of course,” Tony says as he grabs a bot and throws it into a crowd of others, “It would ruin my sense of dramatics if apple pie knew where we were going. It's called a surprise for a reason you know.”

“It's not something too outrageous, is it?” Steve asks cautiously.

Tony gasps and barrow rolls. “Really honey bun, but what do you take me for?”

“Tony Stark,” Natasha answers, even as she back flips, tricking a bot into taking out one of its own.

“It's been Pepper approved,” Tony reassures, “But really, I am hurt they you don't trust me with this. Hurt I say.”

“Yes, how will your ego ever survive?” Loki asks him.

“Why hello pot. Or would you like to be kettle instead?” he asks sweetly.

Loki turns to grin up at him. “I have no idea what you are referring to.”

Tony snorts. “Of course you don't,” he agrees sarcastically. Because really, Loki is also a terrible troll. The team still hasn't figured out what all he is familiar with yet and what he isn't, so of course he takes advantage of that. Tony personally thinks he gets it from Thor. Or maybe Thor got it from him. He has no proof mind you, but Tony is convinced Thor is a _huge_ troll when it comes to Earth customs and tech. There's being a legitimate disaster and then there's being a disaster so that you can laugh about it later. Rude.

Another flip and he lands next to Loki. “Mind if I join the party?” he asks.

“If you think you can keep up,” Loki smirks.

Well it's just on then. Fortunately the suit is strong enough to also be able to rip heads off of bots. It would be a bit embarrassing if it wasn't. Thus he begins fighting with Loki. It's much smoother this time. They are more in sync with each other, fitting in where the other needs it. It even gets better when Loki adds his magic to the show. He pulls out a pair of long daggers that appear to be made entirely of his magic and uses those.

“Oh now you're just showing off,” Tony tells him as he flips into the air to avoid an arm, kicking his leg out as he does. It connects, sending the head flying. He lets out a whoop. “Score baby. That makes seventeen. What are you up to again?”

“Twenty,” Loki answers.

“Bull,” Tony accuses, “Hey Legolas, give us a count will you?” he asks.

“I have better things to do then watch the two of you show boats,” Clint answers snarkily.

Tony snorts and takes down another.

“And it's only eighteen by the way,” he adds.

“Ha! I knew it,” Tony crows and hovers to get out of range temporarily. “Incoming,” he warns before firing his arm laser. It cuts through them, reducing the number again to something more manageable. For now at least. There's an annoying number of these things today.

“I do believe you need your eyes check after all,” Loki says as he moves.

“Keep dreaming,” Clint says.

Tony grins, taking another one down with a well place punch. Angles indeed. But then that is when things start to go wrong. The bot at his feet begins to beep, which is never a good sign. Then he notices all the other bots turn as one and seem to stare at Tony. And then they advance. “Oh shit,” he mutters right as they strike.

They all crash into him like the sea he described them as. Arms and claws reach for him, trying to each get a piece. “So this is potentially bad,” he says casually as he takes to the air. They follow, some jumping, some flying, some climbing on top of the others. “Might get a bit messy here,” he continues as he starts to dodge, firing his laser up once again. Damn he is glad this works.

“Just you're kind of party,” Nat says, “We're on our way, try not to hog all the fun.”

“Try not to, but if you're too slow,” he shrugs as he keeps moving. Staying still is a very bad idea right now. Keep moving, keep shooting, don't let them get a hold of him.

“ Really Stark, must you be so dramatic?” Loki asks as he  _ steps up into the air  _ right beside him. With a flick of his wrist, his two daggers are now swords. Seemingly without effort he begins beheading the bots trying to crowd Tony.

“Right, _I'm_ the dramatic one right now. Of course. Because I'm the one using the air like steps.”

Loki smirks, a vicious, pleased thing. “Yes, well I do not hold the title Sky Traveler for nothing.”

Tony can't help but laugh at that. Yeah, he and Loki really are too alike some times. “You guys better hurry before you miss all the action,” he says. Not that it is really a worry. When Tony had said there was a lot of Doom Bots, he meant that there are a _shit ton_ of Doom Bots. And all of them are trying to get to Tony. It has to be blinding, the sun reflecting off all of the silver in one spot. Good thing Clint has sunglasses on today.

“We're coming to you. Stay safe,” Steve says.

“Always,” Tony says.

“Do not worry, he has me watching him. It will be fine,” Loki says.

“Yes, now I'm not worried at all,” Clint mutters sarcastically.

“Excuse me,” Tony sputters as he kicks a bot in the face, “but who is watching who here? Because I am not the damsel in distress in this scenario. I'm wearing the amour remember? Not the dress.”

“You mean you don't want to be the pretty, pretty princess?” Clint asks, clearly amused.

“Loki would look better in a dress,” Tony answers, “and are you guys ever going to get here? Or are you too busy snarking at me? I mean, I know we all can't be gifted with the masterful ability to multitask, but come on. Still isn't how I wanted to spend my day here.”

Steve's shield flashes in the sun. “We're trying to, but we're being blocked. They obviously don't want you to have help.”

And Tony can see that. He just wishes it wasn't so hard. They are definitely going to miss their reservation and if they don't hurry, they are going to miss everything else. Sure, with Tony's money, he can arrive at the exhibit any time he wants really. But if they are too tired or beat up, then there's no point in going. Steve is suppose to enjoy looking at the pictures and Tony is suppose to enjoy himself looking at Steve. He's interested like that.

“Why don't you join us on this side then?” Nat asks him.

Tony spins so that he is back to back with Loki. “Wow Itsy Bitsy, I never thought of that. So glad for the suggestion.” He rolls his eyes. He'd love to do just that, but he can't. He's already busy enough keeping clear of them while they have him where they want him. Trying to move from that zone, where they don't want him, makes things even more challenging. Tony never gives up, but even he can admit to difficulties under overwhelming odds.

Not out loud of course. He has a reputation to maintain after all.

“Hey Jay, any chance you can pick up the signal for these things? They have to be running on command to be obsessively picking a single target like this.”

“I have been searching Sir. Unfortunately it seems as if Dr Doom has decided to put some decent work into this. It may take some time.”

Time. Just what he doesn't have today. Awesome. “Alright well see what you can do. I'd like to have time for _some_ part of the plan today.”

“I shall see what I can do,” JARVIS reassures him.

And so it is a time game now. Stay ahead, stay away and keep going. It's still nothing especially exciting, even if it is enough to get his blood pumping. The team is still being blocked on one side with Tony and Loki on the other. At this point it is a good thing that he and Loki get along as well as they do. He can't imagine doing this if they didn't. Or even doing this alone. That would be significantly... messier than it already is. Pieces and parts cover the ground, just waiting to be stepped on. Some of the bots lose their balance on them, which makes them easier to attack.

Then he hears a welcome roar and grins. Looks like their final member has finally arrived. Hulk sees the problem right away and takes the direct approach to it – as always. He rips and smashes his way through until he can reach Tony.

“Hey Mean and Green,” he greets, “having fun?”

“Annoying bots,” he grunts and crushes a few that are trying to get to Tony through him.

“Yeah buddy, I feel you,” he nods and beheads another.

“Annoying bots after Tin Man. Hulk keep Tin Man safe,” he declares.

“Thanks Big Guy I apprec-ah!” he yelps as Hulk picks him up and sets him on his shoulders. “Um what?” Tony asks.

“Tin Man safe,” Hulk says.

Over the comms he can hear a series of snickers. Including the asshole beside him. Tony flips him off. Loki just grins in response. Typical. “What was that about not being the damsel in this situation?” he asks sweetly.

“You're just jealous,” Tony says snootily as he is reduced to using his laser from Hulk's back. It is fun, he has to admit. Hulk isn't the smoothest ride Tony has ever had, but he is one of the most interesting ones. Mobility really isn't an issue anymore. Not with a giant rage monster as his taxi. He is jerked all over the place as Hulk jumps from here to there.

With the bots not able to gang up on him, it does make the fight significantly easier. And then JARVIS – _finally –_ finds the signal and cuts it. All the bots go down as if their strings had been cut. Tony blinks. Well then. He guesses Doom wasn't that clever after all. Who uses only one signal to control _all_ of your bots? Bad planning that.

But by this time all Tony wants to do is go home. Of course he can't. They have debriefing next, which seems to drag on  _ forever _ . They're bad normally, but this one seems extra long. It's almost as if Fury can sense how badly Tony wants to leave and is dragging it out in response. Who knows, maybe he is. It certainly fits old Nicky's charming personality.

He comes this close to blurting out exactly why he wants to leave, but refrains. For one thing, he really doesn't want Fury to know before he has to. He imagines he will have something to say about it. For another, he will likely drag it out even longer then, taking the time to bitch at them for keeping it a secret for this long.

To be perfectly honest, it is none of his business, no matter how much he thinks it is. If it hasn't messed with team dynamics so far, it isn't going to now. Besides, the way Tony sees it, it would be like bitching out Nat and Clint. Sure the two of them aren't romantically involved – that they have ever admitted, although Tony doesn't actually think they are – but they are close enough. Sure, one relationship includes sex and the other doesn't, but that doesn't mean one is lesser than the other. And no one cares about how close _they_ are.

Some might accuse him of splitting hairs with that one, but he doesn't think so. Frankly he doesn't care. Bite him – but not really because only Steve can do that.

So he sits between Loki and Steve, bored out of his mind, cranky, sweaty and hungry. They have definitely missed their reservation by a long shot now and even Steve looks like he just wants to go home and relax. So much for his perfect day.

Tony drops a hand from the table and begins drumming on Loki's leg. He glares at first, but then realizes that Tony is using morse code to talk. Then he begins tapping back. Steve, who can obviously hear them, or at least Loki's side of the conversation against the metal, makes a the occasional face at them. It probably doesn't help the situation – Fury is definitely watching them – but Tony doesn't care. He needs something else to focus on so he doesn't zone out entirely. Fury really will bitch then.

He also makes a couple of pointed comments about how well he and Loki are suddenly working together, but no one bothers to explain it to him. It would only make more problems that no one wants to deal with. Also none of his business. Not even remotely at this point.

But finally it is over and, exhausted by now, they all fly back to the Tower. The first thing Tony does is strip and go straight to the shower. He steps in with a sigh, feeling the hot water hit his sore muscles. It has been a long day today. All he really wants is food, sleep and Steve. Damn Doom, ruining his plans like this.

Drying off, he dresses in his sweatpants and the hoodie he still hasn't given back to Steve yet. He will. Eventually. Probably when he wants something else that smells like Steve. He wears this cologne that Tony absolutely adores. Nothing fancy or name brand, but he loves it all the same.

But when he steps into the living room, he is met with a surprise. It has been invaded by a very thoughtful person. There, setting on his coffee table, is a selection of burgers, fries and milkshakes. In between them is a vase with three red roses in it. Tony's softest blankets are stacked on the couch and he would bet that the cooler sitting beside it has his and Steve's favorite drinks.

Tony smiles. It may not be his first plan, but this looks damn near perfect. He is absolutely never going to live this down. Tony knew he was growing on him. Can't deny it now.

“Hey sweetheart, you called?” Steve asks, walking in the door.

Tony turns and smiles. “Happy anniversary apple pie.”

Steve smiles as he walks over and pulls him into a warm kiss. His smile grows when he pulls away and sees their feast laid out before them. “This looks great love. Just what we need after everything.”

Tony hums and leans into him. “Shall we?” he asks, waving a hand.

“Sure thing. Don't want this to get cold.”

Somehow Tony doesn't think that is going to be a problem. And it isn't. The food is hot and fresh, staying that way until the last bite is gone. The milkshakes never melt, staying the same cool temperature they should be. He isn't surprised.

They end up snuggling together on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket. Tony closes his eyes and relaxes, letting any tension left drain out of him. Steve absently rubs his side and Tony hums in contentment. He isn't really paying attention to what they are watching, more focused on Steve than the movie. This is nice. He wants to keep this for as long as he can. He wants to keep this forever.

“Asleep yet?” Steve asks softly.

Tony makes a soft, negative noise.

Steve laughs. “Yeah it sounds like you're wide awake alright. Come on sweetheart, time for bed.” Gently he picks Tony up and carries him into the bedroom. Using one hand he arranges the covers and sets Tony down, laying down behind him.

Tony sighs and moves back so that he is as close to Steve as he can. Happily he laces their fingers together once Steve wraps his arm around him. “We should do this more,” Tony says groggily.

“Well if someone came to bed more often, we could,” he teases.

Tony snorts and shakes his head. “Work,” he protests, And then, “No, I mean  _ all  _ the time. Every night. Move in?” This is nowhere as smooth as he planned it, but he'll be damned if he doesn't ask tonight. He's been driving himself – and Loki – crazy with this.

Steve very consciously stops moving for a moment. But before Tony has time to panic, he sighs and smiles against Tony's neck. “I'd love to move in with my best fella,” he says.

“I better be your _only_ fella,” Tony says, “And course 'm the best. 'm Tony Stark,” he adds tiredly.

Steve kisses his neck. “That you are. Go to sleep love. I'll move my things in the morning.”

“Good,” Tony mumbles and then falls asleep.

The next day, true to form, Steve does. They spend the day together and they go to the gallery they should have seen yesterday. Steve enjoys it just as much as Tony thought he would. Tony enjoys Steve just the same amount. In every sense of the word once they get back to Tony's room – their room now. Just the thought of it is enough to send butterflies aflutter among his stomach. Theirs. It's official and it makes something in Tony purr in satisfaction.  _ Their room _ .

Yeah, there's always the chance he is going to freak out about this later. More than a chance. He'll likely have one in the workshop soon, but for now, that is the future. He's going to let it stay there. No need to borrow trouble, enough comes to find him as is.

Thus time goes on. Tony spends time with the others – sciencing with Bruce, playing video games with Clint, gossiping with Nat and Pep, bugging Rhodey over the phone, spending time with Steve and bonding with Loki via movies and magic. It's good. It's actually really good. Which is amazing, given Tony's track record. Even more amazing is the feeling that he has finally found a place to belong – a family. Wild.

Still no sign of Thor, but that finally changes one day about a month later. Not that Tony knows it at the time. He is sleeping. He and Loki had pulled another binge – sci fi this time, comparing the cinema's idea of magic and Asgardians actual magic. That's what they'll tell people anyways. In reality, they're just being science nerds, but that's okay cause science nerds are the coolest of all the nerds.

So Tony doesn't know when he arrives at first. But he does realize it when Thor barges in the room, saying, “Brother I have returned,” in a too loud voice.

He startles awake from where he had been sleeping on Loki's chest. Because why not? He hadn't been pushed to the floor when it happened, so it's obviously fine with him. “Too loud,” Tony moans, not bothering to move. They have been up for the past three days. He's not moving any more than necessary right now.

Below him, Loki grumbles, “Oh good, now the world can begin spinning again.”

“Tony,” Thor says in surprise, “I did not know you were here. What are you doing?”

“Sleeping,” Tony answers. That should be obvious, shouldn't it?

“Well yes,” he confirms, “But why are you using Loki as a pillow?”

“ Comfy. Go 'way,” Tony tells him. He loves Thor, he really does, but he is always so  _ loud _ . Likely on purpose most of the time because inside voices isn't that hard of a concept to understand, but still. Loud. Loud means no sleep. Rude.

There is no answer, so Tony assumes that Thor leaves, but he is proven wrong.

“And why are you letting him brother?” he asks.

“Not your brother. For science,” Loki says shortly, “Leave.”

“It is my room too,” Thor says, still sounding confused.

Tony can feel one of Loki's hands drop. He doesn't know what he is doing until he hears a thud and a yelp from Thor.

“Really brat, must you do that?” he asks.

“Yes,” Loki says, still sounding hoarse from sleep.

“But-” Thor starts to protest.

Alright, enough of this. All he wants to do is sleep. If they keep this up, Tony is going to wake up enough that he isn't going to be able too. And then he really is going to be cranky. And no one likes dealing with Tony when he's cranky. Or so he's been told. Yeah well, Tony doesn't like dealing with insomnia, but he has to. He's had to since he was a child. And you know what they say about misery loving company and all that.

He drops a hand and blindly reaches for one of the tools laying around. Because he had brought a couple of projects with him. He has been because Loki had been asking about electronics and engineering. Tony thought that was fair, considering all his questions about magic. But that meant that, slowly but surely, there has been a collection of tools forming in the room. He finds a wrench and chucks it over his shoulder.

“Not you too,” Thor complains, “Fine. I can tell when I'm not wanted,” he says.

“That would be a first,” Loki mutters after him.

“I heard that brat!” Thor calls as he closes the door.

Loki snorts. “Good.”

Tony grumbles wordlessly and moves into a better position. Loki brings his hand back up and begins tracing patterns on his back. It feels nice. Within a few more moments, Tony miraculously falls back asleep.

The next time he wakes up, he smells coffee and cinnamon coming from the kitchen. His stomach growls at that. Yum. That smells delicious.

“Thor is trying to bribe us,” Loki says, sounding much more awake now.

“Should I be worried?” he asks, well aware of Thor's track record.

Loki snorts. “He can cook,” he says, “He simply chooses to experiment when he isn't in his own kitchen.”

“I knew it,” Tony says, “Fucking troll.”

Loki hums in agreement.

“How much would you hate me if I said that it's working?” he asks.

“Do not let Thor find out. He will be insufferable about it. Plus he plays dirty,” Loki says.

“Well he had to keep up with you somehow,” Tony teases.

“Flattery Stark,” Loki says as he stretches, “what have I told you about that?”

“Keep it up because you're as vain as a peacock?” Tony asks as he sits up and does some stretching of his own.

“Now who is the kettle and who is the pot?”

Tony shrugs. “Have you ever heard me deny it?” he asks. Because he hasn't. It's true, it's always been true and it will likely always be true. Tony likes to look sharp after all. He gets up. “I'm going to grab a plate before the two of you get into it and eat it all.”

“Better hurry, Thor has always had the bigger appetite between the two of us.”

“He is more obvious about it, you mean,” Tony says and leaves quickly before Loki decides to throw something at him for that. He snickers to himself as he goes into the kitchen. There, standing at the stove is Thor, pile of french toast already finished beside him. Well he wasn't joking about getting some before it is all gone. He points, “You are a lying liar who lies.”

Thor smiles. “Good afternoon Tony,” he says, “breakfast?”

Tony narrows his eyes as he gets a plate. “Don't think I don't know what you're doing,” he says.

“Aye, but you're still eating it so it must be working,” Thor says, clearly untroubled that his secret plot has been revealed.

Tony rolls his eyes and gets a cup of coffee and downs it. After refilling it back up, he goes to sit down at the table and begins eating.

Loki comes in a few minutes later, his 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good' hoodie that Tony bought him on. He has the hood of it pulled up, making him look even grumpier that usual. He glares as he gets his own plate and begins to eat.

Tony doesn't say anything, intent on eating his food – which is damn  _ amazing _ , it is definitely working – and staying out of their way. Hearing Loki tell his story, Tony can better understand just why there is so much tension between them right now. Not that Tony thinks that one or the other is all to blame, but he can better appreciate the situation now.

Thor is trying to prove to someone with severe trust issues that he still cares – despite the fact that he has claimed to hate Loki's newly found race all his life. Loki doesn't believe him – can't seem to believe him no matter how many times he hears it. Once again, as he sees it, he has come out last. Not just the spare prince, but the pawn. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Tony doesn't envy Thor his position right now. Trust issues are a bitch to work through. Even worse when the person you are trying to reach has other issues as well – body, self-esteem and the like. In other words, sucks to be him.

“So,” Thor says, trying to sound casual, but not quite making it, “The two of you have been enjoying yourselves while I have been gone.”

Tony groans, “No, oh no, no, no. I am not doing this. I have heard it from the team, I have heard it from Pep and I have heard it from Rhodey, who is currently across the ocean.  _ No _ , damn flamingo hens,” he says firmly and takes another bite.

Thor blinks as if he was not expecting such a venomous answer. “I was simply saying.”

Loki snorts.

“You have something to add?” he asks, almost challengingly, to Loki.

At first he doesn't think Loki is going to answer. But then he says curtly, “We had a run in with the Sporfins a few months back. Stark is obviously tired of hearing about it.”

“Sporfins?” Thor repeats, “Aw, I see. Might I assume that the two of you ended up together somehow instead of Tony with Steven?”

“Hmm,” Loki hums in agreement, “You can imagine how well they took it. Then of course, because Stark is insane, he decided that bothering me was the best solution to deal with it.”

“It worked, didn't it? I totally grew on you,” Tony smirks victoriously.

“Yes well fungus is so hard to get rid of once it begins spreading,” Loki returns the smirk.

Thor groans.

Loki turns to him. “What is the matter brother dear?” he asks sweetly, while still making it sound like an insult, “I would think you would be happy with this development. Isn't this what you wanted? For me to bond with your Shield Brothers and Sister?”

“There are going to be two of you now, aren't there?” Thor asks instead, sounding resigned.

Tony laughs. “Why Point Break I'm hurt. You know that I am one of a kind.”

“Yes Thor, what makes you think that a mere mortal can be anything like me?” Loki asks.

“Because the two of you have the same facial expression right now,” Thor says.

“Don't worry Blondie,” Tony says, “I'm sure Earth will survive the two of us.”

“Probably,” Loki adds.

Thor groans again.

Tony grins and takes another bite. Yes, the future is looking good right now.

  
  


** [Bonus] **

** [time: a couple of weeks after the battle with the hybrids] **

Tony walks into the common room absentmindedly, not paying much attention to anything else but the tablet in his hands. He has a contract he has to read over before today's meeting with a potential new Company who wants to co-create a project with SI. He's read it before this of course, but he wants to make sure he didn't miss anything before he signs off on it. One can never be too sure about these things.

Also he is suppose to be retrieving Steve's shield because apparently Simba stole it again and brought it down to the common room.

“ What the hell is  _ that _ ?” Clint asks, breaking Tony out of his thought process.

He looks up. “What is what?” he asks looking around. He's almost afraid to, what with the strange things the others get up to sometimes.

“That thing on your shoulders,” Clint points as he twists to look at him from the couch.

Thing on his... Oh. That. “It's Pixel,” he says. Actually he forgot that she had decided to hitch a ride with him today. Just like he forgot the rest of the team hasn't seen her yet.

“Yeah, but,” Clint waves a hand.

Natasha and Bruce have wandered in the room by now, wanting to see what he is talking about.

Nat takes on look at Tony and snorts. She crosses the room and sits on the back of the couch next to Clint, crossing her legs elegantly. Everything she does seems to have a certain elegance to it.

“Don't laugh at my kitty,” Tony tells her, hand not holding the tablet on his hip,“She is a precious thing and not to be mocked by close minded people.”

“She's from our last battle, isn't she?” Bruce asks from his spot, leaning against the doorway.

Tony nods, smiling.

“Do you think I might look at her? No tests or anything,” he hurries to reassure, “but maybe some scans? SHIELD has been closed mouth about how they were created.”

“I'll send you the files,” Tony says.

“Wait, why did you get to keep a pet, but I didn't?” Clint pouts, finally turning fully to join Natasha.

“Files?” Natasha asks.

“Because you don't like talking to our resident mischief maker. And because there will be no flying animals in the Tower – present company excluded,” he smirks, ignoring Nat's question.

“Hey,” Clint protests, pout growing as he crosses his arms.

Case in point. “Also have you seen Steve's shield laying around? Simba got a hold of it again and JARVIS said it was down here.”

“It would appear that it is on the move again Sir,” JARVIS says then, “I do believe this is going to develop into a rather intense game of keep away.”

Tony sighs, but honestly, he's more amused than anything. Of course it is. He's really not all that surprised.

“Just how many animals do you have?” Bruce asks, sounding both wary and intrigued.

His poor science bro. He should have learned by now that Tony doesn't do anything the normal way. How boring. “Well there's obviously Pixel,” Tony motions, “And Simba, which was likely more of a joke than anything. And then you have Balto, but I doubt you see her anytime soon. She tends to stick around Loki more than anywhere.”

Clint pouts while Natasha stares at him, expression not unlike Pepper's when he does something outrageous, yet amusing. Yeah she definitely picked that up while she was playing PA.

Bruce sighs. “We're going to end up regretting this, aren't we?” he asks, resigned.

Tony smiles. “I have no idea what you're talking about Brucie bear.”

“That's what I thought,” he mutters, shaking his head.

Tony grins. Nope. No idea at all. After all, aren't all of his ideas good ideas?

 

 


End file.
